Yesterday in Suwanee, Georgia, third-year running back Gartrell Johnson took first-team reps for the Atlanta Falcons while Michael Turner rehabs from groin surgery. Johnson, a 5’10, 218-lb. runner from Colorado State was my eighth-ranked RB in the 2009 Rookie Scouting Portfolio, above James Davis, Andre Brown, Mike Goodson, Devin Moore, and Jeremiah Johnson. In fact, Johnson’s game grades were consistently higher than Rashad Jennings, LeSean McCoy, Donald Brown, and Beanie Wells. But those grades a reflection of a player’s execution of techniques and not his potential and Johnson’s lack of top end speed was one of a few factors that led me to believe his upside in the NFL was closer to maxed out than the four players I just mentioned who I ranked above him.

The San Diego Chargers drafted Johnson in 2009, but cut him before camp ended. The Giants added Johnson and the rookie earned a limited amount of playing time during the season. The Giants waived Johnson in early September of 2010 and a few weeks later the Falcons added the runner. With Michael Turner on the shelf during camp, Johnson has clearly impressed enough for fans to begin remember his name. I’m going to get you acquainted with his game by sharing brief excerpts of my 2009 analysis of Johnson (where there is 6 pages of analysis devoted entirely to him).

Accompanying my analysis is the great video analysis from DraftGuys.com Continue reading →