Analyst calls 2025 the 'last straw' for Chargers top pick

This former Los Angeles Chargers top draft pick could be on his last legs heading into the 2025 NFL season.

Dec 15, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) warms up prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

When the Los Angeles Chargers selected wide receiver Quentin Johnston in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, they were certainly expecting a lot more than what they've gotten.

Johnston logged just 38 catches for 431 yards and a couple of touchdowns during his rookie campaign, and this past season, he caught 55 passes for 711 yards and eight scores.

Yes, the 23-year-old was certainly more productive in 2024, but he has still been a disappointment overall, and Lee Vowell of Bolt Beat thinks that Johnston could be playing for his job next season, naming him among three Chargers players who are on their "last straw."

"In 2025, Johnston needs to make it all make sense," Vowell wrote. "He still has at least two years left on his rookie deal (the team holds a fifth-year option as well), and maybe year three is when the proverbial light bulb goes off for the receiver. Or maybe the team gives up on him after next season."

At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and with terrific athleticism, Johnston has the perfect archetype for a No. 1 wide out, but he simply has not been able to put it together.

Johnston's hands have been a huge question mark, and he isn't the greatest route runner in the world, either. Obviously, that mitigates his physical advantages and makes him much more easy to defend. Just ask the Houston Texans, who held him without a catch in the Wild Card Round this past January.

Los Angeles may very well select a wide receiver with a high pick in the NFL Draft later this month, which could be an ominous sign for Johnston moving forward.

Jan 5, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) celebrates after a reception against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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