Which gamers will get away this yr within the NFL and turn into stars? Jarrett Bailey of Landing Wire not too long ago revealed his 2024 NFL All-Breakout Crew and New York Giants rookie tight finish Theo Johnson is on it.
I actually favored how Theo Johnson carried out on the Senior Bowl, and he’s coming off a very nice yr at Penn State, as effectively. He caught 34 passes and 7 touchdowns in 2023, and proved himself as top-of-the-line tight ends within the nation. I’ve some hesitations to provide him any type of projections contemplating who his quarterbacks are. Nonetheless, with out Darren Waller, and with a skinny line of expertise in relation to pass-catchers, Johnson goes to be the highest tight finish on the roster and goes to get a fair proportion of targets.
Johnson (6’6″, 260), a fourth-round choice on this yr’s NFL draft (107th total), is predicted to play an even bigger function if Waller decides to retire this summer season.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll, whose son Christian was a classmate of Johnson’s at Penn State, had good issues to say in regards to the rookie who might make a major contribution this yr.
“He’s good. He’s a younger skilled, a real professional, loves the sport,” Daboll mentioned earlier this month. “Has good dimension. Can bend. Can run. Clearly examined very well. However had a extremely good professional day, too, at Penn State, shifting round, operating his routes, hitting the bag. You may solely get a lot out of it. You may inform his bend, you’ll be able to inform he’s athletic. He’s a very good man we thought we might work with.”
The Giants will incorporate Johnson into their tight finish room, which has gotten crowded with Waller’s anticipated departure. They may elevate Daniel Bellinger into a bigger function and can shuttle in two free agent veterans — Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz — into the blocking and short-yardage roles.
Johnson should show that he could be the seam-breaker and end-zone risk that Waller was to ensure that him to get the reps wanted to interrupt out. However first, he’s received to point out he belongs.
“I feel the large factor for me is consistency,” Johnson mentioned. “Being constant. I’ll flash lots of actually good issues on tape, nevertheless it’s placing all that stuff collectively each single snap that’s going to assist me attain my potential.”