Revisiting Lane Johnson's Combine And How The Eagles Got It Right And Must Again

It will be a buyer’s market at the offensive line position when the NFL draft begins on April 23 in Pittsburgh. There could be as many as seven players at those up-front spots that go in the first round. After that, however, lead NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks there’s a drop-off until the third round when offensive linemen will be back on the radar of general managers across the league.

It was an offensive line-rich draft in 2013, too, when the Eagles sorted through all the various options for them and, with the fourth pick, plucked Lane Johnson. They chose wisely. They almost flubbed it, and would have if not for the Miami Dolphins, who traded ahead of Philly to take Dion Jordan, the Oregon product that Chip Kelly, the Eagles' just-hired head coach from Oregon, coveted.

There were nine linemen taken in the first round that year. Johnson was the third offensive lineman off the board, behind Eric Fisher, who went first to the Chiefs, and Luke Joekel, who was taken second by the Jaguars.

They were pretty good, but Johnson is great. Still, presumably, is, despite missing half of last season and turning 36 in May. He is potentially a Pro Football Hall of Fame great. Fisher and Joekel are not.

The other linemen who went in 2013 after those three: guard Jonathan Cooper (7 overall to Cardinals), guard Chance Warmack (10 to Titans and later became an Eagle), tackle D.J. Fluker (11 to Chargers), tackle Justin Pugh (19 to Giants), guard and later, tackle Kyle Long (20 to Bears), and center Travis Frederick (31 to Cowboys).

Lane Johnson Flashed Athleticism At Combine 13 Years Ago

ATHLETE.#nflcombine #throwback pic.twitter.com/7WDTuat499
— Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) March 1, 2026

With the NFL Scouting Combine over now, it’s interesting to look back at Johnson’s combine in 2013. It was a portent of things to come.

His testing numbers were off the charts, highlighting his speed and athleticism, with a blistering 4.72 time in the 40, a 34-inch vertical, and a broad jump of 9 feet,10 inches, numbers that well exceeded Fisher and Joekel, and every line prospect at last week's Combine. It’s also interesting to note that Johnson weighed just 303 pounds. He plays at 325 now.

The fastest 40 recorded last week by an offensive lineman was 4.90 from Iowa center Logan Jones. Still, nine offensive linemen ran sub-5.0s, including Utah tackle Caleb Lomu, who ran a 4.99 and came close to Johnson’s vertical with a 32-5 and a 9-5 broad.

Others who could be available to the Eagles with the 23rd pick and how they stack up with Johnson:

Clemson’s Caleb Miller: 5.04 in the 40 with a vertical 32 and a broad of 9-5

Georgia’s Monroe Freeling: 4.93 with a vertical of 33-5 and a broad of 9-7

Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor: 5.21 with a vertical of 32-5 and a broad of 9.1, which are numbers that don’t exactly scream athleticism.

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