The Cleveland Browns have chosen Miami running back Duke Johnson with the No. 77 overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. Johnson finished his four-year career with the Hurricanes as the school's all-time leading rusher. He earned first-team All-ACC honors in that campaign, which included a stellar 249-yard effort against Virginia Tech.
NFL Draft picks 2015: Duke Johnson goes to the Browns at No. 77
The Miami running back goes to Cleveland in the third round.
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Johnson has good burst and is an agile runner who is elusive in tight space. He makes himself small when surrounded, which helps enhance his durability. In addition, he runs patiently and waits for plays to develop. That makes him a prime candidate to excel in zone blocking schemes at the next level.
Johnson’s hand size of 9.25” is above average for a player who stands just 5’9. He ran a 4.54 40-yard dash at the Combine and had a 33.5-inch vertical. His measurables don’t tell the entire story -- he is a determined runner who uses a competitive spirit to will himself through defenders at times. At Miami’s pro day, he improved his 40 time and posted a 4.47, backing up his talk that he could do better than his Combine numbers.
Where Johnson needs to improve is in pass protection. In a league driven by quarterbacks, a running back’s ability to block can make or break a career. His willingness to engage defenders needs to improve if he’s going to be successful and earn playing time early on. In addition, he struggled with ball security, coughing up six fumbles over the past two seasons.
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