On the Draft Board: TCU’s Quentin Johnston

On Friday afternoon, it was reported that the Kansas City Chiefs would host Quentin Johnston out of TCU for a top-30 visit.

UPDATE 10:01 a.m. April 5: According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the visit took place on Monday.

What is a top-30 visit?

A top-30 visit allows an NFL team to bring a draft prospect into Kansas City for various evaluations. Teams can use these visits to measure a player’s physical traits, test their football knowledge on the whiteboard, gauge their physical agility and simply just get a feel for their personality.

Teams are only allowed 30 of these visits, which is where the name comes from. These visits can be viewed in several ways — sometimes, they can stem from a genuine interest in a prospect, or they might show false interest in a position or potential for other teams come draft day. The Chiefs can use their top-30 visits for prospects that could go in the top 20 of the draft to players who will go undrafted.

Here’s what to know about the draft prospect:

Background

Quentin Johnston graduated from Temple High School and was a top-100 recruit. He was the third-ranked receiver recruit from Texas and the second-highest recruit to sign with TCU in 2020.

Johnston measures 6’2” and 208 lbs. with 33’5/8” arms. This fits the ideal length and size that most NFL teams look for in an outside receiver.

His first two years at TCU were decent but not great. As a freshman, he had 22 catches for 487 yards (22.1 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. As a sophomore, Johnston had 33 catches for 634 yards (19.2 yards per catch) and six touchdowns (his season ended early due to injury).

A head coaching and position coach change before his junior year really helped Johnston, but the most significant boost may have been the switch from “Y” receiver to “X.” Johnston had his best year, finishing with 60 catches for 1,089 yards (18.2 yards per catch) and six touchdowns. His play helped TCU reach the College Football Playoff. In the semifinal victory over Michigan, he turned in six catches for 163 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown.

Johnston is slotted to go in the first round of the draft by most experts. Some have him going as high as No. 9, while others have him falling into the early 20s.

How he fits with the Chiefs

The Chiefs have an unquestionable need at wide receiver. Kadarius Toney (whom some view as WR1) Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore are the only receivers returning from 2022. The Chiefs need a big body that can play outside and beat one-on-one coverage and create after the catch. Johnston fits that mode.

He consistently makes the first tackler miss and possesses the breakaway speed for good yards after the catch (YAC).

The Chiefs have been looking for a true “X” receiver since they parted ways with Sammy Watkins in 2020. Johnston is not the route runner that Watkin was — at least yet — but he does have the big play ability at just the right time that Watkins brought to the Chiefs and the strength to run through tackles like JuJu Smith-Schuster, who the Chiefs just lost to the New England Patriots in free agency.

Some of the greatest concerns the Chiefs could have with Johnston is he doesn’t appear to be a hands catcher often, letting the ball get to his body. Also, for his size, you would like to see him consistently go up and make the contested catch.

The bottom line

Johnston is a top-five wide receiver in this year’s draft and could easily be the top wideout off the board come draft night. With that being the case, if the Chiefs really feel like Johnston is a game-changing wideout that can contribute for them on Day 1, they will have to be aggressive and trade up to go and get him.

It would cost them some draft capital, but he could be worth it. Adding Johnston would give the Chiefs three good young receivers, all on rookie contracts for a few years to come. Johnston, like all receivers, would benefit from some time with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid.