Emmett Johnson

When evaluating running back prospects the athleticism question is a big part of the equation, and Johnson's athletic metrics are plainly not good, even if they can be rationalized various ways. One way Johnson's proponents can rationalize this is to point out that production will always matter more than athletic testing, and that certainly is true enough. There are fewer instances of this more glaring than the example of Bucky Irving, whose production and tape in college were dynamite but whose Combine workout was pretty much a disaster with a 4.55-second 40, 29.5-inch vertical and 115-inch broad jump. Some offensive linemen jump higher than Irving did, yet it was quickly evident in Irving's 2024 rookie season that his athletic limitations were not at all limiting his ability to produce from scrimmage. Irving makes up the difference from his athletic deficiencies with his rare spatial intelligence, which affords Irving the ability of running full speed at all times without needing to stop and process what he's seeing. There are stronger and faster running backs who will get to Point B later than Irving because their speed differential relative to Irving is less than the processing differential. If Johnson sticks in the NFL he'll need to lean on similar tricks, because his 4.56-second 40 at 202 pounds isn't much to work with and despite his hot motor Johnson will never run with true power. Even with all that said, Johnson's production at Nebraska gives reason to keep some amount of faith. Johnson withstood big volume as a runner in 2025 and is probably either the second- or third-best receiver among the 2026 running back class after catching 85 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns on 103 targets over the last two years (82.5-percent catch rate, 6.4 YPT). Johnson's pass-catching ability alone is probably enough for him to stick in the NFL as a backup, but if he can flex just a little bit as a runner too then Johnson might be a viable starter in the NFL down the road. His opportunity in Kansas City is to compete for the pure backup role to three-down starter Kenneth Walker, but if Walker needs to miss any time the Chiefs really might be in good hands with Johnson. The rookie should be able to push aside the likes of Brashard Smith and Emari Demarcado for that RB2 role, but he'll need to tie up those loose ends too. Read Past Outlooks