ITH 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: TCU WR Quentin Johnston

Occasionally there is a wide receiver in college football with amazing tangibles and intangibles. This time it is TCU’s, Quentin Johnston. Currently, Johnston is touted as one of the best receivers in this upcoming draft class. Despite TCU not being a household name over the past few seasons, Johnston helped TCU become a playoff contender in just 3 short seasons. With this receiver class being relatively uncertain, Johnston will have the opportunity to put himself in the front of all counterparts in this draft class. I evaluated Johnston this year and broke down a few games from 2022.

Player Information:

Name: Quentin Johnston

School: TCU

Position: WR

Jersey #: 1

Alignment/Scheme: X

Games Watched: Vs UGA, vs Michigan, vs Texas, Vs Oklahoma

Major Factors: # Notes:

Grading Scale:       9 - Special  8 - All-Pro  7.5 - Pro Bowler  7 - Good Starter  6.5 - Avg. Starter  6 - Good Backup  5.5 - Role Player  5 - Developmental

Personal/Behavior: ? 

Athletic Ability: 9 Athletically, Johnston is as physically imposing as an AJ Brown. He is not as fast as Brown, but he has the frame to dominate any smaller DB. He is not a burner, but his long strides and acceleration are very good after the catch. 

Strength & Explosion: 8 At 6-4 215 lbs, he uses his body very well and controls his center of gravity. He dominates DB’s on the perimeter blocking and he rarely gets knocked off his spot in vertical situations. 

Competes: 8 Dominated his competition in conference. Good competitor, but he did not show up in the biggest game of his career against UGA.

Production: 7 In 32 games, Johnston scored 14 total touchdowns, which is not very impressive for a player of his caliber. His numbers improved from his freshman to sophomore year, but did not make a major jump from his sophomore to junior season. His highest reception count came in his final season with (60). 

Mental/Learning: 7 For Johnston to come into college and have an immediate impact his freshman says that he was prepared immediately to play. He seems to grasp his offense well and QB Max Duggan felt comfortable with his big play ability. 

Injury History: 5 Johnston has only missed a handful of games in his 3 seasons at TCU. Suffered a minor right ankle injury in 2022. This injury nagged him all year and forced him to leave a few games early, most notably against conference opponent Baylor. 

Player Summary:

Report:

In 3 entire seasons at TCU, Johnston played in 32 contests. Beginning his freshman year, he has led his team in per reception average in every season. Johnston’s big play ability while at TCU was undeniable. 

Despite having a breakout season in 2021, Johnston’s 2022 season was not as good as many expected. Although his receptions and yards increased, his touchdown number did not improve with 5 more games played in 2022 than in 2021. It is uncertain what led to these numbers staying the same, but surely Johnston is still one of the top receivers in this 2023 draft class. 

Johnston’s play style is very reminiscent of former West Virginia star, Kevin White. Physically, Johnston is just as physically imposing as an AJ Brown with the athleticism of  Terry Mclaurin. Initially, he is a better athlete than pure receiver. 

However, with Johnston being such a physically imposing receiver, he is able to move the chains from anywhere on the field. While I would not incorporate him into a vertical pass game consistently, his ability can be greatly utilized in possession situations. Even though he has good speed, his frame and hands can be used to gain consistent first downs. 

Does not create much separation in his route running, but his body allows him to detach from DB’s to locate the ball. For receivers with larger bodies, separation is not as much of a concern. For Johnston to be such a large body guy, his catch radius is not incredibly impressive. 

Agility is not Johnston’s strong suit. Will try to make lateral moves in open space, but he typically will lose balance or get tripped up. Has enough speed to turn a screen into a big play if he can break one tackle. He is a strong runner in a straight line. 

Hands are not a concern. 

Pro Comparison: Kevin White

Round/Grade: 2nd Round

ITH Writer/COO

-By: LeMarkus Bailey