The David Johnson hype train just keeps gaining speed.
Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said he has not seen a better pass-catching running back than the team’s third-round draft pick from 2015.
“He’s got rare and unusual skills I’ve never seen in a back, where he’s got an erect running style, yet at the same time he has tremendous lower flexibility and lateral quickness,” Keim said, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.
“And then his receiving and ball skills are second to none. I mean, probably the best receiving back I’ve seen.”
Johnson showed off amazing versatility in his rookie season when he tallied 36 receptions for 457 yards and four receiving touchdowns. This was on top of the 581 rushing yards and eight rushing scores he piled on at a stout pace of 4.6 yards per tote.
He also racked up 598 kick return yards, including a 108-yard return touchdown.
Keim even went on to compare Johnson to legendary Hall of Famer, Marshall Faulk.
Though, it would appear that Johnson is taking everything in stride, including being chewed out by head coach Bruce Arians after he botched a blitz pickup recently in practice.
“Yeah, I just got yelled at,” Johnson said. “Just so mad at myself for doing it, because I thought I was getting better and learning a lot more, and I think it was just one of those things I might have just overlooked and just assumed. I always have to be ready for that.”
It is occurrences such as this that will keep Johnson humble and committed to the game. Entering his second year with the Cardinals, Johnson should pick up where he left off once he assumed the starting role towards the end of last season.
Fans surely cannot wait until the regular season kicks off. And, for those who play fantasy football and receive points for catches, Johnson is not likely to last much past pick five or six in drafts. Good luck.