Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Broncos' LB Alexander Johnson Lands at No. 46 on PFF's Top 101 Players From 2019
Alexander Johnson seemingly came out of nowhere with little-to-no fanfare to become one of the best young linebackers in the NFL. The former Tennessee Volunteer star and undrafted free agent signed with the Denver Broncos in 2018 but spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad.
Enter Vic Fangio.
Johnson was worked into the linebacker rotation during training camp last summer and was solid during preseason action, cementing himself a place on the Broncos' 53-man roster. Despite what he would become, it's safe to say that even the Broncos had no idea what they had on their hands in Johnson.
When Todd Davis went down with an injury, the Broncos instead went out and signed Corey Nelson to start opposite Josey Jewell for the first couple games, which was an unmitigated disaster. Davis returned and only a couple weeks later, Jewell would be held out of action with an injury and that's when Johnson got his opportunity, as the Broncos knew by then that Nelson was a categorical failure.
Johnson got his first start on the road in Week 5 vs. the Los Angeles Chargers and proved more-than-equal to his opportunity. He would never look back to the bench, finishing the season with 93 combined tackles (51 solo), five tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Those 12 starts landed him at No. 46 on Pro Football Focus' Top 101 Players From 2019 list. Here's what the NFL's leading advanced analytics site had to say about Johnson.
A former undrafted free agent with a complicated backstory, Alexander Johnson made the most of his first opportunity for playing time this season with the Broncos, earning one of the best grades in the NFL among linebackers. He didn't start until Week 5, but from that point onward, his grade ranked among the All-Pro players at his position, and he was the best-graded linebacker of them all against the run. For a first season starting, this was spectacular play from the young linebacker, and only playing time held him back from a spot much higher on the list.
It's going to be fun to see how Johnson's career continues to take shape. The Broncos have one of their inside linebacker slots solved for the long-term. But with Davis entering free agency and Jewell not appearing to be a great fit in Fangio's scheme, the Broncos could look to find Johnson's long-term partner via the draft.
Congratulations to Johnson, though, on a remarkable season. Landing on this PFF list isn't exactly the same as a getting a Pro Bowl or All-Pro nod, but if Johnson stays on this trajectory, it won't be long before those accolades come.
Note: At least one other Bronco made PFF's list, which we'll cover in a separate article.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
