Welcome to SKOL Search!
This series will be your guide to the 2023 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.
The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at wide receiver, running back, cornerback and both interior and edge pass rusher.
The Vikings are slated to have four picks before compensatory selections are awarded and they need to make the most out of them.
Background
Quentin Johnston
- TCU
- Height-6’4″
- Weight-193 lbs
- Third-year Junior
- 4-Star recruit per 247 Sports
- Stats: 108 receptions, 2,024 yards, 13 touchdowns
- Games watched: Baylor 2021, Oklahoma State 2022, Kansas State 2022, Kansas State 2022 (Big 12 Title Game)
Strengths
Johnston is your traditional heigh/weight/speed receiver that knows how to use his size and speed to his advantage. He has the technical prowess to pair with his speed and can stack defenders with ease.
Quentin Johnston just casually stacking up Kalon Barnes who runs a 4.2 40 pic.twitter.com/vydsKlzMnT
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) December 20, 2022
He also understands how to get the ball deep. Tracks it well and knows how to go up and get the ball in contested catch situations. He fights through contact well at both the catch point and when running routes in the open field.
This is the draw of Quentin Johnston: deep ball receiver pic.twitter.com/tsRSeLtaZh
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) December 20, 2022
Shows above-average quickness for someone his size. Can evade defenders in short spaces with his feet and sheds tacklers with both his quickness and play strength. Has fluid hips to pair with his speed and quickness.
Route running shows some nuance. He can work his way through contact during the route and not lose a lot of speed. Has the ability to recognize where the defenders are in zone coverage and adjust accordingly.
Weaknesses
There isn’t a ton of negative with Johnston. You would like to see more production but the Horned Frogs ran a very balanced offense. Route running is going to be a work in progress for Johnston. He has a limited Air Raid-based route tree and needs to work on nuance. Could do better getting his hands up later in contested catch situations as well. 13 drops on only 187 targets.
Overview
| Hands | 7.9/10 |
| Release | 8.6/10 |
| Route Running | 13.2/15 |
| Separation | 13.7/15 |
| Contested Catches | 9.2/10 |
| Tracking | 9.1/10 |
| Body Control | 9.4/10 |
| YAC Ability | 8.9/10 |
| Agility | 8.5/10 |
| Grade | 88.5/100 First Round |
Johnston not only has all the tools to develop into a great receiver but also has the skills to be great while learning the nuance of an NFL route tree. You don’t see a lot of players that have the size and speed of Johnston while also having the physicality of a thicker receiver.
The Vikings should do a lot of things to try and get this player, but he will likely go in the top 10, which will be out of range for the Vikings sans a trade involving Kirk Cousins but at that point, moving up would be for a quarterback.
