Duke Johnson: Prospect Breakdown (with GIFs)

Oct 4, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson (8) runs the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The next player covered in Just Blog Baby’s coverage of the NFL draft is Miami RB Duke Johnson.

It’s a bit of a wide-range, but Duke has been projected to go as high as the second round in some mock drafts, and as low as the fourth or fifth round in others.

Let’s see what Duke brings to the table.

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Given the knocks Duke gets for adequate size and strength, his stiff arm is one of his best traits. He uses it effectively to create space between him and his defender.

That’s a 300+ pound nose tackle that Duke just hit with a stiff arm, and then he uses his speed to get the corner and pick up the first down.

The very next play, Duke showcases his excellent vision and how dangerous he can be in the open field.

This next clip does show that Johnson needs to work on his lower body strength. He was taken down here by an arm tackle, and there were several other examples on tape where he was unable to drive through leg contact.

Duke’s acceleration and top-end speed are both displayed on this run. He also finishes the run by staying in bounds and picking up the extra few yards instead of stepping bounds early and avoiding the contact.

He’s a threat in the pass game as well. A lot of Duke’s catches come off of screen plays of course, but he also ran a few slant routes and wheel routes as well, which is shown here.

Next: Duke Johnson Film Breakdown, Part 2