What new Giants TE Theo Johnson Brings to the Offense

Needing tight end depth, the Giants used their first pick of Day 3 on Penn State's Theo Johnson.

Penn State tight end Theo Johnson, the New York Giants' fourth-round pick. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

While the New York Giants continue to give tight end Darren Waller time and space to decide if he wants to continue playing or retire, the team's brass forged ahead with plans to add to the tight end group with their selection of Penn State's Theo Johnson in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft. 

@CountryGiants#NYGiants take Penn State TE Theo Johnson in 4th Rd of #Nfldraft pic.twitter.com/BJbtcN2sXF

— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) April 27, 2024

Johnson appeared in 44 career games, making 29 starts. Over that time, he hauled in 77 career receptions for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns. That includes a senior year campaign that saw him catch seven touchdowns en route to a Mackey Award semifinalist selection and an All-Big Ten honorable mention nod. 

He had a career-high six receptions against Iowa and, two weeks later, a career-high two touchdown receptions against UMass. He finished his final season tied for third in the nation in touchdown receptions for tight ends. 

What's to Love?

At 6-6 and 259 pounds, Johnson has the frame of the prototype NFL inline tight end who could become a good blocker and a reliable receiver. He is a good athlete and a big target that does work in the middle of the field. He has decent speed that can sneak up on defenders, backed up by his 4.57 40-yard dash time at the combine. 

His 33” arms and 10.25” hands give him an extremely wide catch radius. If you mix that with explosive numbers like a 10’5” broad jump and a 39.5” vertical, it makes his ability to grab passes that may not be within the reach of others. 

His hands are underrated, and he can potentially be a target that produces automatic first-downs. 

What Needs to Improve?

You would think he’d be a better blocker with a frame like Johnson's, but he is still wildly inconsistent in that area. He has all the potential to be a good blocker, but that comes with improved technique and a desire to become better at the task. 

When he comes out of his stance, he needs to keep his pad level lower. If he lowers his center of gravity and uses his explosiveness to get on defenders quickly, he can be much more consistent in run blocking. 

He also needs to use his hands more to control defenders. Smaller subtle technique flaws ruin his ability to consistently win in the run game. These are all things that he can improve by practice and desire. 

How He Fits in the Giants' Offense

If Waller returns, 2024 will be a good year for Johnson to learn the tricks of pass-catching from the veteran and clean up his deficiencies in run blocking so that come 2025, he could be a plug-and-play guy for the Giants moving forward. 

If Waller hangs it up, the timeline speeds up for Johnson, who may need to provide some value as a pass receiver while he continues to improve as a blocker. He will share time with Daniel Bellinger as a pass receiver. 

Overall, though, Jonhson is a great developmental piece in the puzzle on offense. 

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