2023 NFL Draft Profile: OT Paris Johnson Jr.

Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. is firmly in the conversation for being the best offensive lineman available in the 2023 NFL Draft. That’s no surprise given he was a five-star recruit and Anthony Munoz Award winner coming out of high school. The Cincinnati native played in just five games as a freshman, then spent his entire sophomore season as the Buckeyes’ starting right guard. Johnson played well enough at right guard to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2021. Johnson finally moved to his natural position of left tackle as a junior, where he again started every game. He got bumped up to first-team All-Big Ten in 2022 and was also recognized as a consensus AP All American. Johnson is an interesting character off the field, too. He majored in Journalism at Ohio State and can speak three languages.

Strengths

Tantalizing Length/Frame: Please forgive the scouting cliche, but Johnson truly looks as though he were built in a lab to play left tackle in the NFL. At the NFL Combine, Johnson’s arms measured at a preposterously long 36 and an eighth inches, which puts him in the 96th percentile among all offensive tackles. Johnson’s Mr. Fantastic arms aren’t just for show, either. He uses his length well to reach out and ride rushers past the pocket, even when it seems as though he’s given up the outside edge. Johnson’s length comes in handy in the run game, too, where he’ll frequently make first contact on down blocks, hinge blocks, or double teams, allowing him to often control the rep.

Quick Feet and Balance: Other than Johnson’s ankle-scratching arms, his most noticeable traits on tape are his excellent footwork and balance. He plays with a strong, wide base, taking quick and choppy steps to maintain his balance throughout his pass sets. As a result, Johnson is almost always is a good posture to absorb a defender’s bull rush or punch. Even when a pass rusher is able to get into Johnson’s chest, his balance is such that he can usually re-anchor and keep the pocket from collapsing. Johnson’s quick feet also helps him pass off and recover on stunts ans twists, which he also recognizes quite well.

Weaknesses

Wide/Sloppy Hands: Too often, Johnson will keep his hands wide and low to catch an incoming rusher rather than strike with his hands to make first contact. This will allow rushers to get into his chest and stun him backwards. As mentioned above, Johnson’s ability to re-anchor helped him keep those reps respectable in college. In the NFL, though, he’ll need to do a better job of keeping his hands inside his frame so he can punch and take full advantage of those long levers.

Movement in the Run Game: Johnson isn’t a poor run blocker, but he’s not exactly a road grader. His quickness will usually allow his to successfully execute reach or scoop blocks, but he won’t then drive back his defender to make a larger hole. This is far from a major criticism since Johnson does so much else well. If you’re a team trying to construct a downhill, gap-scheme line, though, Johnson probably isn’t your man.

Ideal Role

Left Tackle in a Wide Zone Scheme: Johnson is a dream tackle for teams that want to get their linemen working laterally in the run game, while also running a deep play-action passing game that requires extra time for the quarterback in the pocket. He has the talent to excel in nearly every scheme, but he’d especially thrive in a system that values foot speed and fluidity in their linemen.

Potential Fits

The New York Jets have frequently been linked to Johnson so far in the draft process. He’d fit well in their scheme and they need a tackle, even if the oft-injured Mekhi Becton returns healthy. If he gets past the Jets at 13th overall, the Washington Commanders could grab him to succeed Charles Leno.

– Ryan Cuneo is the Managing Editor of Full Press Giants. He covers the New York Giants. Like and follow on Follow @ryan_cuneo Follow @FullPressGiants and Facebook.