Can Longhorns Roschon Johnson Be New Lead Back For Chicago Bears?

Roschon Johnson should be an immediate contributor for the Chicago Bears' offense.

Bijan Robinson was the No. 1 running back at Texas for three seasons. He also was the president of the Roschon Johnson fan club and was sure the externalize his opinion on perhaps the college football's top backup whenever given a chance. 

“He brings out so much in a player and the team just with how he goes about being a leader,” Robinson of his teammate said following his selection to the Atlanta Falcons eighth overall on Thursday evening. “Not just his teammates but everybody in the community. ...His toughness and heart make him stand out over everybody.”

Johnson served as the No. 2 runner for the Longhorns during his four-year stint in Austin. In layman's terms, Johson's limited production would likely earn him the label of a backup. In reality, he was just caught between a rock and a hard place. 

If the newest member of the Chicago Bears ever decided to enter the transfer portal, one could argue that 85 percent of college programs would have him on their radar. As the lead back elsewhere, perhaps Johnson hears his name called around the middle of Day 2 instead of the start of Day 3. 

Regardless, Robinson knows Johnson's pro career should be far more profitable than his collegiate one. And the Bears seem to be all-in on Johnson's upside, so much so that general manager Ryan Poles was shocked to see him still on the board when selected No. 115 overall. 

“This human being is wired differently,” Bears Southwest area scout John Syty told local reporters Saturday. “The more time you spend around him, the more you realize that you are probably the one who has things you need to work on, not him. 

“He’s someone we really feel compelled can become a pillar of this organization for a really long time.”

Johnson won't be handed the starting job in Chicago's backfield come Week 1, but the franchise is high on offensive value. He'll join a unit that led the NFL last season in rushing yards and yards per play (5.4) and already features dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields and rising star Khalil Herbert.

Make no mistake; Johnson won't pigeonhole himself as the second fiddle in Chicago to Herbert and former Texas Doak Walker Award winner D'onta Foreman. During his time at Texas, the 6-foot bully of the backfield never considered himself a backup, but rather an x-factor who was utilized correctly at the right moment. 

"Regardless of who was getting a majority of the carries, I tried to prepare and maintain myself as if I was a starter," Johnson told reporters via Zoom Saturday afternoon. "I didn't let the perspective of me being a backup have an effect on me. I just took it day by day, trying to increase my role on the team." 

The positive mentality was one of the reasons Chicago labeled Johnson a target to bring in on Day 3. In Austin, Johnson not only averaged 6.0 yards per carry for his career, but he was also a standout on special teams and passing downs as an extra blocker. 

Chicago already expects Johnson to be a factor on kickoffs and punt coverage after leading Texas with seven special team tackles. With a strong training camp, Johnson should provide stability in pass protection for Feilds. It should come naturally given that Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian made it a priority to keep "RoJo" on the field during passing plays. 

That's just the start. Johnson comes to the Windy City franchise with little tread on his tires, having only recorded 269 rush attempts in three seasons. One could argue he's this draft class' version of Houston Texans' standout Dameon Pierce. 

Pierce, a fellow fourth-round selection out of Florida, totaled 329 carries in four seasons. As a rookie, he became a staple of Houston's ground game, nearly doubling his senior season production in carries (220) and yards (939). 

Poles won't limit Johnson to just playing running back, either. Initially recruited by Texas as a quarterback out of Port Neches-Groves, Poles mentioned that offensive coordinator Luke Getsy could scheme up several packages that feature Johnson working the Wildcat formation thanks to his athletic upside. 

“I think he increases the competition in the running back room,” Poles said. “But the cool thing about it is if you watch Texas tape, he does a lot. He pass-protects really well. That stands out. He’s done some quarterback stuff. He came out of high school as a quarterback. So this is going to allow our offensive staff to maybe do some really cool things with him and keep a defense on its toes.”

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