Is Diontae Johnson a star in the making?
As Steelers training camp kicks off, we finally get a small glimpse of what team we have going into the 2020 season. While everyone’s eyes are on the return of the man himself, Ben Roethlisberger, my eyes are on someone who I believe is under the radar. Someone who is being slept on by many talking heads as the next breakout wide receiver. I’m talking about number 18 himself, Diontae Johnson.
As a young Steelers, I grew up watching Hines Ward use his brute strength and toughness to get the better of whoever was covering him. Then we saw Mike Wallace use his speed to outrun you. Then we saw the rise (and unfortunate fall) of Antonio Brown. Now we have a young star in Juju Smith-Schuster who is already a major factor in the Steelers offense. However, Johnson gave us an early dose of his potential in his sophomore season.
Johnson is the player I am most excited about to watch play in 2020. Watching him have decent success with backup quarterbacks running the offense makes me wonder how he can perform with Ben back in command. History has shown us that Ben helps any receiver shine on the big stage. I think now is Johnson’s turn.
Well, why do I think this? I have four talking points behind my prediction.
My first reason is route running. Watching Johnson shows me that he has shades of Antonio Brown when he is one on one. He has very quick feet which have allowed him to quickly change direction and adjust to the pass. As a rookie, Johnson led all other receivers in his class in separation from their defenders. If he can pull that off this early, it will be interesting to watch him develop in the coming years.
Second is his hands. Johnson led all receivers in receptions at 59. His numbers could have been higher if there were times he was not overthrown or dropped. I truly believe that the Steelers may have two thousand-yard receivers in 2020 with the return of Roethlisberger. Many times in 2019, Johnson showed us his ability to snatch the ball out of the air and secure it with exceptional strength. The best example is his twisting catch against the Seahawks in week 2.
The third is his agility. It is amazing how when Johnson gets the ball in his hands, he behaves like a running back. He has displayed that he has the quick reaction time to stop and quickly cut, making defenders fall flat on their faces. He is a very talented runner that uses his small frame to fake out opposing defenders. I would like to see him improve on this in 2020.
Finally is his utility. Throughout the season, Randy Fichtner used Diontae among others for “gadget” plays like touch passes and jet sweeps. This aspect of Johnson’s game will help bring some dynamics into the offense moving forward. One thing that the offense needs is a spark. Using players like Johnson can be a very advantageous strategy in attacking defenses.
While we anxiously await the 2020 season one thing is sure. With the veteran experience and the youthful skill, this team is a sleeping giant waiting to be awoken. Fans should look out to see our next playmaker explode in 2020.
