The Los Angeles surprised quite a few folks when they selected wide receiver Quentin Johnston with their first-overall pick. While most expected them to take a receiver, consensus believed that they’d select either Jordan Addison or Zay Flowers. However, when taking a deeper dive, it’s easy to see why the Chargers like Johnston, and they could be in the midst of recreating one of the best wide receiver duos of the past decade.
How Quentin Johnston Fits the Los Angeles Chargers
Quentin Johnston the Prospect
Based on physical build alone, Guentin Johnston might be the most dominant wide receiver in this draft. At 6′-3″ and 208 pounds, Johnston can outmuscle defenders at the point of attack and win contested situations downfield with ease. He’s more than just a big target, however, as his broad jump ranked in the 97th percentile and his vertical jump came in the 93rd percentile. Basically, he’s a big guy and a freak athlete, which means that he’s never truly covered.
Most big guys are a little stiff in their movement and are at their best traveling in a straight line. Quentin Johnston doesn’t have this problem, as the wide receiver moves incredibly naturally and is a monster after the catch. He’s also never played with a quarterback in the same stratosphere as Chargers superstar Justin Herbert, so one can reasonably assume that we have yet to see Quentin Johnston at his best.
The biggest Johnston was still on the board at 21 is that he’s a rather raw prospect. His route running leaves a lot to be desired, although the fact that he’s so smooth after the catch implies this is a physical issue. He is a good receiver now, but if he fixes this flaw in his game, he could become a great one.
Scheme/Team Fit
If Quentin Johnston’s draft profile sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because it reads very similarly to Mike Williams all those years ago. At first glance, the idea of drafting two players this similar might seem strange, but history shows two players like this can be a deadly pairing.
At this point in his career, Keenan Allen is best off spending most of his time in the slot, which means that there is a new full-time opening opposite Mike Williams. By drafting Quentin Johnston to fill this void, the Chargers have effectively recreated the Vincent Jackson-Michael Floyd duo from the late 2000’s and early 2010’s.
For those that don’t remember, this duo was one of the best in the league at its peak, and their combined ability to overpower defenders and make plays at the point of attack made the Chargers one of the better teams in football. While they never quite made it to the Super Bowl, you can’t blame them for not being good enough to take down Peyton Manning and Tom Brady at the peak of their powers.
The game has changed a lot over the past decade, but there is still a modern-day example that shows this style of play can still work. The Cincinnati Bengals have arguably the best wide receiver duo in the league in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and both of those guys are at their best using their size to overpower defenders. It should go without saying that Mike Williams and Quentin Johnston are not as good as Chase, but if they can create a poor mans’ version of that offense, then the Chargers should be ready to compete for a Super Bowl.
