Who is Panthers' Draft Pick DJ Johnson?
After trading up to pick #17 in the third round (#80 overall), the Panthers selected DJ Johnson, an outside linebacker from Oregon.
Johnson is 6'4", 260 pounds of pure athleticism. On top of being a productive pass rusher (six sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss his senior year), Johnson also played tight end at Oregon racking up 10 catches for 113 yards and three touchdowns his sophomore season. Johnson pairs his elite size with top-end speed and could develop into the perfect complement on the other side of Ejrio Evero's 3-4 defense to Brian Burns.
In his introductory press conference, Johnson was asked what kind of player he is. "They (the Panthers) are getting a fast, violent, physical player who likes to set the edge and get after the pass rush."
An unofficial Panthers depth chart lists Brian Burns, Yetur Gross-Matos, Marquis Haynes Sr., Kobe Jones, and Amare Barno as outside linebackers currently on the roster. Most draft evaluators pegged pass rush as a need for Carolina, and a quick look at that depth chart says that Johnson will have a chance to compete for snaps early on in his career, and he's ready to take those snaps and run with them. "I'm just going to embrace whatever role they give to me and climb up how they see fit."
When asked about his goals going into camp, Johnson said he "wants to show the older guys what he's got," and to show the fans and people in the organization that "they didn't make a mistake."
Johnson spoke in his press conference about his time getting to know the Panthers' organization and it's safe to say that he's happy to be moving to the 704. "When I saw that (704) area code my face lit up." Johnson spoke highly about his time getting to know the Carolina staff complimenting their ability to be welcoming on the personal side while being clear about the football side of the job.
It's unclear if any communication has been made between DJ Johnson and Brian Burns, but Johnson showed reverence for Burns when asked about having the chance to play opposite the Pro Bowl pass rusher. "Brian Burns is a player that I've watched a lot since being in college...being a teammate with him is dope. I'm trying to stay calm about it, but it definitely makes me work even harder getting ready to play alongside someone so talented."
Johnson's size and speed make him seem like a Brian Burns lite, but the similarities extend off the field too. Burns and Johnson are both fans of anime, which Johnson revealed in his press conference.
DJ Johnson has immense upside, and it's up to him and the Panther's organization to find out if he can live up to it. Scott Fitterer loves to draft players on days two and three with elite traits regardless of their college production, and Johnson fits that mold to a tee. Fitterer described Johnson as a player with "a ton of upside."
Thus far in his Panthers tenure, Fitterer hasn't been as successful later in the draft as he has been at the top. Ideally, Johnson bucks that trend and breaks through to become an impact player. The tools are there, it'll be fun to watch him try and put it all together.
