New Chargers GM Joe Hortiz talked up WR Quentin Johnston in a recent interview with Kay Adams. "When he was coming out of college, he was an elite size/speed athlete. And you saw some rawness to his game," Hortiz said. "But as big as he is, 6'3, you watch him drop his weight, getting in and out of breaks, come to balance at the top of the route, get out quickly. He can do some rare things for a player his size. ... He's a great kid, he's a great worker. Everyone here has a high opinion of him. I believe he's really gonna launch. I really do. His skillset is great, we're gonna work with him, make him better and better."
Johnston is coming off an ugly rookie season. Despite WRs Keenan Allen and Mike Williams missing a combined 18 games, Johnston managed just 38 catches for 431 yards and two TDs. He caught only 56.7% of his targets at 11.3 yards per catch, resulting in a 6.4 yards-per-target average that ranked 71st among 80 qualifying WRs. Johnston ranked 75th among those 80 WRs in yards per route.
As Hortiz said, though, Johnston was a raw prospect coming out of TCU. We noted in his pre-draft scouting report that his route running and contested-catch skills needed work. It's certainly possible that Johnston -- still just 22 -- takes a significant step forward in his second NFL season.
It's not a big bet that we'd be willing to make. But you don't need to bet big on Johnston at his current WR66 best-ball ADP. He's worth taking some shots on at that price, especially with Allen and Williams no longer with the Chargers. Even with the addition of second-round rookie WR Ladd McConkey, there's every opportunity for Johnston to emerge as a top-two target in this passing game.
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