Washington running back Dillon Johnson has a pre-draft visit scheduled with the Vikings, according to Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report and The Draft Network.
Johnson is a big, physical back who stands just shy of 6-foot at 217 pounds. After spending three seasons as part of a committee backfield at Mississippi State, he transferred to Washington last year and had a career year for the national runners-up. Johnson ran for 1,195 yards (5.1 YPC) and 16 touchdowns in his lone season with the Huskies, highlighted by a 256-yard, 4-TD performance against USC in early November. He’s a powerful between-the-tackles runner who also had over 1,000 receiving yards in his four-year college career.
It’s perhaps a bit concerning that Johnson ran 33 times for 82 yards (2.5 YPC) in College Football Playoff games against Texas and Michigan, but it’s also important to note that he was dealing with a lower-body injury in those contests. That injury may have also contributed to his 4.68 40-yard dash time at last week’s NFL combine.
When I get healthy everybody in trouble, that’s a promise… pic.twitter.com/DKhQk7ITSh
— Dillon Johnson (@Dill_7k) March 5, 2024
Because he lacks elite athleticism and has only one season of high-end production to his name, Johnson is almost certainly a Day 3 prospect in this year’s draft. Nonetheless, he could be worth a dart throw as a potential complement to Ty Chandler in the Vikings’ backfield in 2024 and beyond. After releasing Alexander Mattison, Minnesota needs to add at least one running back this offseason to help flesh out that room beyond Chandler.
