Inside The Vikings

Vikings Have Draft Visit Scheduled With Washington RB Dillon Johnson

Could Johnson be the Vikings' powerful complement to Ty Chandler?

Will Ragatz

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Washington running back Dillon Johnson has a pre-draft visit scheduled with the Vikings, according to Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report and The Draft Network.

Johnson is a big, physical back who stands just shy of 6-foot at 217 pounds. After spending three seasons as part of a committee backfield at Mississippi State, he transferred to Washington last year and had a career year for the national runners-up. Johnson ran for 1,195 yards (5.1 YPC) and 16 touchdowns in his lone season with the Huskies, highlighted by a 256-yard, 4-TD performance against USC in early November. He's a powerful between-the-tackles runner who also had over 1,000 receiving yards in his four-year college career.

It's perhaps a bit concerning that Johnson ran 33 times for 82 yards (2.5 YPC) in College Football Playoff games against Texas and Michigan, but it's also important to note that he was dealing with a lower-body injury in those contests. That injury may have also contributed to his 4.68 40-yard dash time at last week's NFL combine.

Because he lacks elite athleticism and has only one season of high-end production to his name, Johnson is almost certainly a Day 3 prospect in this year's draft. Nonetheless, he could be worth a dart throw as a potential complement to Ty Chandler in the Vikings' backfield in 2024 and beyond. After releasing Alexander Mattison, Minnesota needs to add at least one running back this offseason to help flesh out that room beyond Chandler.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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