Emmett Johnson

● Compact, muscular frame with defined muscle throughout ● Very good stop-start with above-average cutting burst and agility ● Presses the hole and uses defender’s leverage to his advantage ● Maintains run balance at the line to drop his hips and spin off contact ● Runs hard — not afraid to hit it up between the tackles ● Shifts weight cleanly in the open field to sidestep defenders ● Savvy pass catcher with crisp route breaks that allow him to win against linebackers one-on-one (a ton of flare routes on his tape) ● Handles the football well (one fumble, one drop in 2025) ● Finished No. 2 among FBS running backs with 46 receptions in 2025 ● One of just four FBS running backs to average at least 120 rushing yards per game in 2025

● Narrow waist with marginal bulk in his legs and lower half ● Top-end speed appears to be average at best ● Will bypass manageable lanes searching for the home run ● Runs full speed into contact at the line more than you’d like to see ● Gets bogged down at times when making too many cuts ● Runs with good pop but only average power, especially in short yardage ● Late to square and drop anchor in pass pro and can be removed from pass-rush paths ● Marginal special teams and return experience ● Only one season of starting production 43 Back to table of contents -- 47 of 629 --

A two-year starter at Nebraska, Johnson lined up primarily offset in offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen’s version of the Air Raid. After two seasons in a running back rotation, he had a breakout 2025 season as the only FBS player to average more than 150 scrimmage yards per game. He led the Big Ten with 1,451 rushing yards and became the first running back in Nebraska history to record 100-plus yards both rushing and receiving in the same game. With his agile cutting skills, Johnson is explosive laterally and has sharp footwork and shifty body movements to give defenders the slip. His feet can get a little bounce happy at times, but he makes it work for him by pressing the line and setting up open-field defenders. Though he runs with determination, his average power will be more noticeable when dealing with NFL contact. Overall, Johnson is quick and balanced between the tackles to stack cuts, and his pass-catching savvy will be an asset at the next level, ideally for a zone scheme. He is an intriguing change-of-pace back who will bring versatility to an NFL backfield.