Taking a look at a Jets tight end prospect
Last week, the New York Jets signed tight end Neal Johnson to a futures deal. Today, we look at Johnson in detail.
The 23-year old Johnson is listed at 6’4” and 250 pounds. He went undrafted out of Louisiana in 2024. This is his third stint with the Jets and he is yet to make his NFL debut, having also spent time with the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was an all-Sun Belt Conference third team selection in 2023.
Background
Johnson was a three-star high school recruit, who actually played quarterback in his senior year. He was recruited to Louisiana where he saw action in a reserve role in his first two seasons, catching 11 passes for 97 yards and two scores as a freshman and 13 for 133 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore.
He made his first start early in his junior year in 2021 and then ended up starting the last seven games as well as he ended up with 22 catches for 287 yards and a score.
In 2022, he again made eight starts and improved his production again with 25 catches, 296 yards and two touchdowns to earn an all-Sun Belt Conference honorable mention.
He opted to return for a fifth season, in which he started all 13 games and posted the best numbers of his career on the way to earning all-Sun Belt Conference third team honors. He ended up with 30 catches for 383 yards and five touchdowns.
Johnson was not invited to the scouting combine but signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in May. However, they released him in August and the Jets claimed him off waivers. He played in one preseason game for them and then was waived once more before being claimed by the Vikings. After playing in the final preseason game for Minnesota, he was released in final cuts.
The Jets picked up Johnson again in December, adding him to their practice squad. However, he lasted just a week and then was released again. They still signed him to a futures deal after the season, though.
Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Johnson brings to the table, based on extensive research and film study.
Measurables/Athleticism
Johnson was only 220 pounds when recruited but he weighed 245 by the time of his pro day. However, he could probably do with adding some strength and more weight to his frame as he only had 12 bench press reps there.
He ran a 4.77 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day, which is about average for the position, and his agility numbers were pretty good. However, his explosiveness numbers were poor.
Usage
Johnson is capable of playing out wide or in the slot, but the amount of snaps he played on the line increased over the course of his college career to 75 percent of the time in his final season.
Downfield threat
While not necessarily a consistent deep threat, Johnson is definitely a player who can win vertically and be a downfield threat down the seam. He did manage to get deep a few times in college.
Routes
Johnson hasn’t had a chance to showcase much in the way of route-running skills because he was in college on a team that had a run-heavy offense. He therefore had a lot of production leaking out or sitting underneath.
At times, he has had success on in-breaking or out-breaking routes, and he disguised his route well on this touchdown.
Hands
Johnson had a 71 percent catch rate in college and never had more than four dropped passes in a season. However, he’s not really had many highlight reel grabs in his career so far.
He looks natural enough catching the ball, though. This was a nice catch, showing good concentration to make the grab cleanly before going out of bounds.
Red zone
Although he only had 11 touchdowns in five seasons, most of these came in the red zone as Johnson was someone who would leak out and be a target near the end zone.
He displayed a good nose for the end zone on a couple of these shorter touchdown receptions.
After the catch
Johnson has some ability to pick up extra yardage after the catch as he can slip off or bounce off tackles and has the size to fall forwards at the end of a run and get to the marker.
He showcased his impressive athletic ability by hurdling a defender in the open field on a couple of occasions.
Johnson did not have any fumbles in his college career.
Run Blocking
As noted, Johnson played on a run-heavy team in college so he has plenty of experience as a run blocker. He had mixed results with his performance grades on analytical sites such as Pro Football Focus typically below average, but did show good flashes at times.
It was clear that his technique perhaps needs a bit of refining, especially as he’ll face stronger and faster opponents at the NFL level. He lost leverage and allowed his man to work off his block too regularly in college.
Pass Blocking
The Ragin’ Cajuns would use Johnson in pass protection quite regularly and his pressure rate was acceptable, although he did give up two sacks.
Johnson has also shown that he has the ability to be a competent blocker in the screen game at times.
Physicality
Johnson seemed to work hard in the trenches and didn’t shy away from contact as a ball carrier, but didn’t necessarily give the impression of someone who would bring physicality, aggression or dominance to the field.
He caught just three contested catches on 12 targets during his collegiate career.
Special Teams
Johnson has seen action in a variety of roles in college and preseason action. He blocked on the field goal and return units and in punt protection, and also rushed punts and covered kicks a few times, although he didn’t register any tackles or commit any penalties.
He made a good block to spring this kickoff return.
Johnson also fielded eight kickoffs, returning one 24 yards. However, the other seven netted just 30 yards and one fair catch. Presumably they were all on short kickoffs or squib kicks that were fielded upfield.
Instincts and Intelligence
Johnson didn’t seem to obviously blow any assignments as a blocker and was always looking to find open areas in the defense and turning back towards his quarterback to make himself a target.
He was flagged once for a false start and once for illegal man downfield in college. Presumably the latter came on a play where Louisiana had an eligible extra lineman on the field.
Attitude
Johnson seems to be a popular teammate and all indications are that he is a hard worker, but there is a minor character flag because he missed the first half of the 2020 season due to disciplinary action.
The head coach said this was “due to some decisions he made in the past” and indicated that suspending Johnson was part of their long term plans for him.
Injuries
Other than the suspension, Johnson doesn’t seem to have missed any significant time, so he appears to have been fortunate in terms of not having injuries in his career so far.
Scheme Fit
As noted, Johnson played in a run-heavy scheme in college, so the Jets might feel he has some untapped potential as a pass catcher. His versatility is also useful.
He was a teammate of current Jets offensive lineman Max Mitchell at Louisiana and of fellow futures signing Zach Evans with the Rams. He was also briefly a teammate of pending free agent Kene Nwangwu while with the Vikings.
Conclusions
The fact that the Jets have brought Johnson in on three separate occasions suggests they have seen something positive in what he’s shown them so far but that they now need a more extended look to see more from him.
He may be someone who flew under the radar because his numbers were limited due to the team he played for in college, so the Jets will hope he has more to offer.
He’s joining the competition at a position that will be wide open if Tyler Conklin doesn’t re-sign, so it’s not out of the question he could be in the mix with the new coaching staff.