Brian Johnston DE -Gardner Webb

[Tribal Warfare]

Overview Brian Johnston 2007 is the Big South Defensive Player of the Year: just the second repeat winner of the Big South Defensive Player of the Year award, as he was the 2006 honoree. Johnston was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and was the lone FCS player named to the Ted Hendricks National Defensive End of the Year Award Watch List this season. Johnston led the Big South and finished second nationally in tackles-for-loss per game (2.18), and posted a Big South single-season record of 24.0 TFL. He also recorded six sacks (second in the Conference) while making 74 tackles on the season. He had seven games with at least 2.0 TFL, including five games with three-or-more, and had 12.5 TFL in four League games. He is a promising prospect with above average size, strength and upfield explosiveness. Is the best defensive prospect in the conference and could be as good or better than Justin Smith if he maxes out. Strengths Good sized DE, has decent athletic ability. Good against the run and pass. Good enough athlete to have started as a Frosh at SLB, and caught a 3 yard touchdown pass this season. Has benched 450, squatted 505, Weaknesses Has been able to use raw strength and speed to overwhelm opponents, he does not have a polished array of moves. Has short arms. 31.75 inches, for such a rangy athlete and needs to work on getting underneath the quicker footed OTs he'll face at the next level. Projection A possible 6th or even a 5th rounder. If he can get stronger and keep his speed and quickness he could be a real find on day 2. It's not impossible a team could try him as a 3-4 OLB but he is not used to being in space.

[Tribal Warfare]

http://www.draftdaddy.com/blog/nfldraft.cfm


Josh Buchanan is reporting former Gardner-Webb defensive end Brian Johnston is creating a huge buzz among N.F.L. teams. One A.F.C. franchise has told him they hope he is still around when they select early in the 4th round. Josh informs us that the teams showing the most covert interest in Johnston include Green Bay, Kansas City, Miami, Tennessee, Dallas and the New York Jets.

[SBK]

Man, I was hoping we'd grab an OT with our first 4 picks, so hopefully he's there in round 5.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

We need to use all 10 picks on the o-line and kicker.

[Tribal Warfare]

http://draftdaddy.com/blog/nfldraft.cfm

Gardner-Webb defensive end Brian Johnston could go as high as the third round. I have heard many scouts from 4-3 teams say they absolutely love him. Few know this, but his 10 yard split at his Pro Day was the same as Darren McFadden's. Also, his Pro Day shuttle time bested every defensive lineman and running back at the Combine in Indianapolis! I think Rashard Mendenhall may've tied his number, but the dude is a freak. I know a lot teams think he could be the next Aaron Kampman or Jared Allen.

DD.comment: We'd like to thank this anonymous N.F.L. source for all the great tidbits and opinions he's given us since the 2007 Combine. Also, DD.com friend/ contributor Josh Buchanan has told us former Gardner-Webb star Brian Johnston is drawing very heavy interest from Tennessee, Kansas City and the N.E. Patriots. Tennessee has a coach that went to Gardner-Webb so they know a lot about him.

[BigRock]

DRAFT HIM, HERM

[The Franchise]

Say hello to our new 2nd round pick.

[Zouk]

His 10 yard split of 1.51 is better than any DE that attended the combine (where the leaders were Vernon Gholston, Chris Long and Jeremy Thompson who all tied at 1.53). I've heard the 10 yard split is a very good predictor of pass rush potential.

Here's an interview:

http://www.tfydraftpreview.com/news.php?newsID=129

Q: Have you been flown into any NFL team facilities for private interviews and workouts?

Brian Johnston: Yeah, I just got back from a three-team tour; I guess you would call it. I visited with the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and then the Kansas City Chiefs. And after all those visits, I am starting to feel like Kansas City has been the most interested in me up to this point.

[stlchiefs]

Originally Posted by Zouk

His 10 yard split of 1.51 is better than any DE that attended the combine (where the leaders were Vernon Gholston, Chris Long and Jeremy Thompson who all tied at 1.53). I've heard the 10 yard split is a very good predictor of pass rush potential.

Here's an interview:

http://www.tfydraftpreview.com/news.php?newsID=129

Q: Have you been flown into any NFL team facilities for private interviews and workouts?

Brian Johnston: Yeah, I just got back from a three-team tour; I guess you would call it. I visited with the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and then the Kansas City Chiefs. And after all those visits, I am starting to feel like Kansas City has been the most interested in me up to this point.

Looking for the next J. Allen in the 4th round? I'm not against using a 4th on a small school kid with good numbers. It wouldn't be the worst pick Carl ever made.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I picked him up in the CP Mock draft in the late rounds.

[Zouk]

Originally Posted by stlchiefs

Looking for the next J. Allen in the 4th round? I'm not against using a 4th on a small school kid with good numbers. It wouldn't be the worst pick Carl ever made.

Could easily be the 3rd. That's what draft daddy's source (linked above) is hearing amongst NFL scouts about where he might be taken.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Zouk

Could easily be the 3rd. That's what draft daddy's source (linked above) is hearing amongst NFL scouts about where he might be taken.

I bet they don't see him going at the top of the 3rd though.

[Zouk]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I bet they don't see him going at the top of the 3rd though.

Why? There's clearly a lot of interest out there for this guy. The highest non-combine invite pick last year was Usama Young at the 2nd pick of the 3rd round. I don't see why this guy won't go around that time.

During the pre-draft press conference someone asked Kuharick about small school players. He talked about how most were there for academic reasons but that there was 1 guy they had in for a visit that the big schools just flat out messed up on. Based on his story, I think this is that guy. He was set to go to a big school but the coach retired and he got lost in the shuffle. Then he dominated the small school level, the college all star game he was invited to, and in workouts.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Zouk

Why? There's clearly a lot of interest out there for this guy. The highest non-combine invite pick last year was Usama Young at the 2nd pick of the 3rd round. I don't see why this guy won't go around that time.

During the pre-draft press conference someone asked Kuharick about small school players. He talked about how most were there for academic reasons but that there was 1 guy they had in for a visit that the big schools just flat out messed up on. Based on his story, I think this is that guy. He was set to go to a big school but the coach retired and he got lost in the shuffle. Then he dominated the small school level, the college all star game he was invited to, and in workouts.

It's just my opinion about what they're saying in the article you referenced. It sounded to me more like they expected him to attract 3rd or 4th round interest which leads me to believe they'd expect it later in the 3rd rather than earlier.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by Zouk

During the pre-draft press conference someone asked Kuharick about small school players. He talked about how most were there for academic reasons but that there was 1 guy they had in for a visit that the big schools just flat out messed up on. Based on his story, I think this is that guy. He was set to go to a big school but the coach retired and he got lost in the shuffle.

I concur, and I definitely believe he's in KC's crosshairs.