Paris Johnson Jr., OT Ohio State: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Johnson was a five-star recruit from Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio in the class of 2020

Ohio State left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. is arguably the best offensive lineman in the 2023 NFL Draft and could hear his name called in the top ten selections. Johnson still has a lot of development left, but he has the combination of floor and ceiling that should make teams comfortable.

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Paris Johnson Jr., OT Ohio State: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Junior left tackle from Cincinnati, Ohio

Background: Johnson was a five-star recruit from Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio in the class of 2020. He was the No. 9 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 21 for Rivals, and No. 10 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 11th in the nation with a 90 grade out of 100. Johnson played at St. Xavier High School for three seasons before playing at Princeton High School. He received the Anthony Munoz Lineman of the Year and All-American Bowl’s Man of the Year before joining Ohio State. Johnson was a two-time OHSAA First-Team All-Ohio selection. He played in the 2020 All-American Bowl and received an ambassador invite to the Polynesian Bowl. Johnson was a MaxPreps High School All-American twice and a USA Today All-American once.

Injuries & Off-Field: N/A

Awards: 2021 Second-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), 2021 Third-Team All-Big Ten (Media), 2022 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2022 Second-Team All-American

Pros: Only penalized once in 2022, starting experience at right guard and left tackle, ideal size and bulk, arm length and wingspan, quick and nimble feet, recovery agility, maintains leverage and knee bend throughout pass pro rep, mean and physical mentality, finished Isaiah Foskey (2022) to the ground in pass pro, always looking for extra work, helps his guards when not challenged, identifies primary threat when faced with two rushers, independent hand usage, fits and re-fits hands, sufficient clamp and anchor strength, steps to take the air out of the pass rush, attacks and snatches the defender’s hands, caves in the defensive line, speed and agility to make a dent at the second level, gets on top of and finishes defenders in the run game, mobility and range as a blocker to operate in a gap or zone system

Cons: Oversets opening inside rush lanes, vulnerable to speed-to-power and bull rush, anchor is average, occasionally torqued out of the way by defensive linemen, still learning how to attack the half-man relationship, vulnerable to swim move, bumps into his own teammates, friendly fire, body positioning and awareness sometimes leaves rush lanes open, carries hands too low at times, hand placement is inconsistent and allows defenders into his chest, independent hand usage rate needs to increase, bends at the waist, guilty of lunging and ducking his head, poor angles to second level blocks, shows inexperience at times

Overview: Johnson took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 6063 and weighs 313 lbs. He has 9 4/8-inch hands, 36 1/8-inch arms, and an 85 1/8-inch wingspan. Johnson was only penalized once in 2022. He carries one year of starting experience at right guard and left tackle to the NFL. Jonson has ideal size and bulk for an offensive tackle. His arm length and wingspan pair well with his quick and nimble feet and recovery agility. Johnson maintains leverage with good knee bend throughout reps in pass protection. He plays with a mean and physical demeanor. Johnson wants to finish defenders to the ground, which he did against Isaiah Foskey and Notre Dame early in the 2022 season. The junior always looks for extra work, often going for the exposed ribs of defenders engaging the left guard. Johnson prioritizes the primary pass rush threat when faced with two rushers. There are flashes of independent hand usage. Johnson fits and re-fits his hand quickly. He plays with sufficient clamp and anchor strength but isn’t elite in either area. The former five-star recruit occasionally steps to take the air out of the pass rush. He attacks and snatches the defender’s hands in pass protection. Johnson has the power to cave in the defensive line and the speed and agility to land blocks at the second level. He gets on top of defenders, driving them down with his hands before finishing them into the ground. Johnson’s mobility and range make him a fit for gap or outside zone schemes. However, he is far from a perfect prospect. He frequently oversets, opening inside rush lanes. Johnson lacks a high-level anchor, which leaves him vulnerable to bull rushes and defenders who convert speed to power. He is occasionally torqued out of the way by more powerful defensive linemen. The Ohio native is still learning how to attack the half-man relationship. He has no clear answers for defenders operating in half-man and frequently allows them to get one hand into his chest. Johnson bumps into teammates, knocking them off their blocks. His body positioning and awareness of rush lanes aren’t ideal. The All-American carries his hands too low at times and has inconsistent hand placement that allows defenders into his chest. He needs to use his hands independently more often since his two-handed punch leaves him vulnerable. Johnson is vulnerable to swim moves because he bends at the waist and is guilty of lunging or ducking his head into contact. He takes poor angles to second level defenders.

Overall, as a one-year starting tackle at the college level, Johnson will experience growing pains early in his NFL career, but his ceiling is worth the risk. He’s an agile tackle with guard experience who has the mean streak and build to become a well-rounded force at the next level. He falls short of earning a high first round grade because of his inconsistencies.

Role & Scheme Fit: Left tackle in an inside or outside zone scheme

Round Projection: Mid First Round

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-21-23