Seahawks Draft Target: Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State
By Keith Myers
If the Seattle Seahawks draft Roderick Johnson out of Florida State, they’ll be acquiring a project LT with the physical talents to become one of the league’s best.
Physically, Florida State’s Roderick Johnson is an ideal NFL LT tackle. He’s got ideal length and strength, surprisingly quick feet and exceptional balance. Johnson combines that with smooth athleticism when asked to block in space. If NFL teams draft based on physical talent alone, Johnson would be a top 10 pick.
Unfortunately, things fall apart for Johnson when you start looking at the gritty details of his game tape. For starters, Johnson’s kick-step is virtually non-existent. He doesn’t get wide fast enough vs speed rushers, allowing them to beat him around the corner.
On top of that, Johnson doesn’t use his hands particularly well in pass protection. There is no jolt to his initial punch. He reaches out to latch on, but doesn’t use that opportunity to slow the pass rusher’s momentum.
In the run game, Johnson’s strength and power are evident. It isn’t uncommon for him to drive the defender he’s blocking 5 yards downfield. It would be nice to see him do so more consistently though.
Game tape vs North Carolina:
The problem in the run game is that Johnson has a tendency to get his pad level too high. That is not uncommon with offensive tackles that are 6 ft. 7 in. tall like Johnson is.
Luckily, all of Johnson’s flaws are correctable with coaching. It is possible to teach players how to use their hands better and to get wider with their kick-step. You cannot teach length and athleticism.
Put this together and you get a player that has an incredibly high ceiling, but also a low floor. As he stands now, he’ll be a barely functional player. With proper coaching, he can develop into a perennial Pro-Bowler.
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That level of uncertainty will push Johnson down draft boards. General Managers are risk adverse by nature. That may work out well for the Seahawks. If Johnson drops to Seattle in the 2nd round, they could get their left tackle of the future without needing a top 10 pick to acquire him.