Theo Johnson | Penn State 6’6” 259 lbs 2/26/01 | 23 years old
The New York Giants drafted Theo Johnson, the fifth tight end and 107th overall player in the 2024 NFL Draft.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/theo-johnson-1.html
https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/theo-johnson/
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
Johnson entered the NCAA in a shortened 2020 season with the Covid pandemic. He only totaled 597 receiving yards in his first three seasons and five touchdowns. In his 4th season, he eclipsed his career-high stats in every category with 34 receptions for 341 yards and 7 TDs. Johnson was never a go-to target for Penn State. With this production context in mind, let’s shift to a more exciting aspect of Theo Johnson’s profile.
FILM
My favorite takeaway from Theo Johnson’s film is his consistently finding open spots on the field, especially in zone coverage. Johnson was also a dependable red zone threat for the Nittany Lions. His impressive athleticism enables him to come down with jump balls in the red zone, along with underrated route running.
ATHLETIC TESTING
At the combine, Theo Johnson measured 6’6” and 259 lbs. He checked in with an impressive 40-yard dash time of 4.57. His three-cone time was average for TEs at 7.13. Johnson performed well in the shuttle shrill at 7.15 seconds and a vertical jump of 34.5 inches. This led to an overall relative size-adjusted athletic score of 9.93 out of 10, good enough for number 9 of all TEs since 1987.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Average
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Great
Theo Johnson was drafted with the 107th overall pick in the 4th round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Typically, when any TE goes later in the second day of the NFL Draft, the dynasty fantasy football community doesn’t pay much attention. Johnson showed unique potential in his college film, along with top-shelf athletic ability. Fantasy relevance is scarce in the TE position every year. Could Johnson develop into a startable fantasy TE?
FANTASY INSIGHTS
I have Theo Johnson ranked as the fourth tight end in this class for projected future dynasty value. He has the potential to make an impact at the next level, but his prospect profile doesn’t seem to indicate early career production to achieve fantasy relevance.
Theo Johnson should go off the board in rookie drafts in the late third round to early fourth round of TE premium rookie drafts or early-mid fourth round of non-TE premium leagues. Even with Darren Waller’s recent retirement announcement, I am not getting overzealous for Johnson’s fantasy potential. Johnson profiles as a project at the TE position and will need time and good coaching to grow into the NFL and reach his true potential.
Thank you for tuning in to DFF’s 2024 NFL Draft Coverage! Stay tuned as we break down every fantasy-relevant pick during the draft. Please consider becoming our yearly DFF subscription so we can deliver top-notch analysis and fantasy breakdowns. Only $1.67 per month ($19.99 per year) gets you our Dynasty Rookie Draft Guide, access to the DFF Discord for free personalized dynasty team advice, hundreds of dynasty articles, and so much more…
YO, thank you for reading my article! I appreciate your support and time. If you’re interested in more devy and dynasty content like this, come check me out! Follow me on Twitter/X @DFF_Woody. #DFFArmy #FantasyFootball #AlwaysBeBuilding #NFL #NFLDraft #NFLTransactions #NFLTrades #AlwaysBeScouting
