All-American Running Back ‘Felt the Love’ from Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Every football player dreams of being drafted.

Well, maybe not every player. As Day 3 of the NFL Draft progressed on Saturday, South Dakota State running back Amar Johnson wanted to join the Green Bay Packers, even if that meant not being drafted.

“I just felt the love from them, really ever since my pro day” Johnson told Packers On SI this week. “I know they reached out to a lot of my coaches, even my high school coach, during the predraft process and trying to get to know me that way. When my pro day came and I talked to Brett (Thiesen), one of the scouts, he was very high on me and saying how much he would love to have me at the Packers.

“Me and my agent (Blake Baratz) just felt the love was genuine from them, and it stayed like that the entire time. So, the whole draft, I was like, ‘Please don’t draft a running back,’ because they were telling me they wanted me before the draft. So, that was big, and I was just so happy to make it official finally and just hoped nobody else drafted me.”

Johnson had an All-American final season at South Dakota State with 1,222 rushing yards (6.3-yard average), 30 receptions for another 233 yards, and 15 total touchdowns. For his career, he rushed for 2,866 yards, caught 50 passes and averaged 21.0 yards per kickoff return.

At 5-foot-9 3/4 and 205 pounds with 4.39 speed in the 40 and an 8.80 Relative Athletic Score, it’s little wonder why the Packers were intrigued.

Johnson said five other teams wanted to sign him but coming to Green Bay was an easy choice. There’s a real opportunity to crack the 53-man roster. While Josh Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd will be atop the depth chart – assuming Lloyd can stay on the field – the group is rounded out by Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks, both of whom got their chance as undrafted free agents.

“That’s another reason that me and my agent was very high on Green Bay as far as them showing love but also being able to go in there and compete and possibly crack that rotation and just go in there and kind of show it all,” Johnson said.

“I think I bring a lot of different capabilities of what I can do, like return, catch a ball out of the backfield, be a third-down back, be an early-down back. So, I just think from that standpoint, I have a lot of value to what I can bring to the Packers.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson allowed only one pressure in 30 pass-protecting snaps in 2024. As a runner, he averaged 3.80 yards after contact. In Week 1 against Oklahoma State, he averaged 8.1 yards per carry. In the playoff loss to eventual FCS national champion North Dakota State, he rushed for 77 yards, with 74 of those coming after contact.

🐰 4L pic.twitter.com/xSmOKBkvUh
— Amar Johnson (@Amar_Johnson1) February 16, 2025

What are the strengths of this game?

“I would say definitely my ability to make guys miss in open space, but also my ability to adapt to my offensive line and learn their strengths and weaknesses to help us have a better run game,” he replied. “And also I like to tell people, I would say that I’m an offensive lineman’s best friend just because I’m allowing them to get to the second level and be patient.

“And also, I think another big piece is when I’m back there, it’s like you kind of have two QBs back there just because I can pick the game up so fast, realize the blitzes, realize what fronts and coverages defenses are in, so that I can play fast and free. I think it’s a pro that you can add to your backfield that the QB doesn’t have to be so worried about those things when they have a guy right next to them that understands the game almost as much as a QB does.”

Johnson is a native of O’Fallon, Mo., and grew up watching former Rams star Steven Jackson, who was mentored by Packers running backs coach Ben Sirmans. As a runner, Johnson likes the patience of “primetime Le’Veon Bell” and the “do-it-all” versatility of Christian McCaffrey.

“When it’s time to be down and dirty, you’ve got to run over somebody,” Johnson said of Jackson.

While the bulk of his production came against FCS competition, South Dakota State has become something of a running back factory. Pierre Strong was a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in 2022 and Isaiah Davis was a fifth-round pick last year by the Jets. Before them, Zach Zenner had a five-year career.

“I came in there my freshman year with Pierre Strong and Isaiah Davis,” Johnson said. “Competing with them, obviously, made me a better player at the end of the day. I always tell people, I don’t run from any smoke or anything like that. I’m going there with my head high and show why I belong.”

Johnson will find one familiar face in the Packers’ locker room with standout tight end Tucker Kraft. Johnson was a key backup for the Jackrabbits in 2021 and 2022, Kraft’s final two seasons.

“Yeah, we’ve been texting,” Johnson said. “We were tight my freshman and sophomore year. I’ve been glad to be around plenty of guys like that to pave the way for me. When I made it official and me and the coach got on the phone, he asked if I’d talked to Tucker. I was like, ‘No, not yet,’ but we’ve been texting.

“He’s definitely another guy I can get in there and be mentored by, especially with him being on the offensive side, allow me to pick things up and the playbook very quickly. He’s just a great guy to be around that I think will help me establish myself on the team.”

Johnson and the rest of the rookie class were scheduled to arrive in Green Bay on Thursday for the rookie camp, which will be held on Friday and Saturday.

For Johnson, stepping onto an NFL field will be a dream come true.

“It doesn’t really seem real right now,” he said. “It’s still kind of like if I’m dreaming almost. I think when I get down there this Thursday, I think I’ll be even more shocked. Like, I’m really a Green Bay Packer, which is great, and you just take it all in and enjoy this moment because not a lot of people get to experience this. I’m just blessed to be in this opportunity.”

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