Jake Johnson TE North Carolina | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jake Johnson TE North Carolina
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
ROLE: Inline Blocking TE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Updated: 09/21/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
40 time: 4.62 seconds (85%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Age: 21.8 DOB: 04/01/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ROLE: Inline Blocking TE | |
Last Updated: 09/21/2024 | |
Draft Year: 2025 | |
40 time: 4.62 seconds (85%*) | |
Age: 21.8 DOB: 04/01/2003 | |
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Overall Rating: | 58.6 / 100 | |
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Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
Defense Rating: |
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73% |
Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
QB Rating When targeted: | 105.0 | |
Hands: |
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66% |
Short Receiving: |
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58% |
Intermediate Routes: |
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59% |
Deep Threat: |
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66% |
Blocking: |
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47% |
DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#520
Position rank:
#29
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College Games: 26 College Snaps: 672 | ||
College Combine Results
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Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
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Noah Gray - Duke |
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70% |
Cary Angeline - NC State |
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68% |
Shaun Beyer - Iowa |
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66% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Jake Johnson, a junior tight end from North Carolina, hails from Athens, Georgia. At Oconee County High School, Johnson was a standout 4-star recruit, selected for the 2022 All-American Bowl. His senior year saw him rack up 45 catches for 745 yards and 8 touchdowns, leading his team to the second round of the Georgia 4A playoffs.Johnson's college career began at Texas A&M, where he saw limited action as a freshman in 2022. His sophomore season in 2023 showed marked improvement, as he appeared in 12 games, tallying 24 receptions for 235 yards and 4 touchdowns. Johnson's most notable moment came when he caught a touchdown pass from his older brother Max, marking the first brother-to-brother touchdown connection in Aggie history.
Hailing from a football pedigree, Johnson is the son of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brad Johnson and nephew of former Georgia and Miami head coach Mark Richt. His mother, Nikki, was a standout volleyball player at South Florida. Following the 2023 season, Johnson transferred to North Carolina, joining his brother Max in Chapel Hill.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Prototypical tight end frame with plus length, creating mismatches against smaller defensive backs and offering a wide catch radius
- Soft mitts and strong hands at the catch point, consistently plucking the ball out of the air and securing it through contact
- Vertical threat with the ability to stretch the seam, demonstrating good tracking skills and body control on deep routes
- Positional flexibility to align inline, in the slot, or split wide, providing offensive coordinators with multiple formation options
- Natural feel for exploiting zones, showing savvy in finding soft spots and presenting a reliable target in the intermediate areas
- Blue-chip football bloodlines, son of a Super Bowl-winning QB and nephew of a respected coach, suggesting innate game understanding
- Developmental arc trending upward, displaying significant year-over-year improvement in production and on-field impact
- Above-average straight-line speed for the position, possessing the wheels to outrun linebackers and challenge safeties vertically
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Raw in blocking technique, lacking consistent pad level and hand placement to sustain blocks effectively in the run game
- Limited sample size of high-level production, raising questions about ability to consistently win against NFL-caliber defenders
- Struggles with suddenness in short-area quickness, potentially limiting effectiveness in quick-hitting passing concepts and option routes
- Overall skill set suggests a steeper learning curve at the next level, likely requiring time to adjust to the speed of the pro game
- Production numbers, while improved, still lag behind top-tier prospects, indicating potential ceiling limitations at the position
Scouting Report: Summary
The North Carolina transfer brings intriguing physical tools to the tight end position, with the size and catch radius to become a reliable safety valve and red zone threat at the next level. His ability to align at multiple spots in the formation offers schematic flexibility for creative offensive coordinators. However, Johnson's current limitations in route-running precision and blocking consistency may restrict his immediate impact.In the NFL, Johnson profiles best in offenses that emphasize multiple tight end sets and can scheme touches for big-bodied pass catchers. His development arc will hinge on refining his route tree, improving play strength, and maximizing his frame as a blocker. Special teams contribution could be his initial path to a roster spot while he develops the nuances of the position.
While not possessing elite traits, Johnson's combination of size, hands, and positional versatility give him a foundation to build upon. His ceiling will be determined by how well he can enhance his functional athleticism and technical skills to consistently separate from NFL-caliber defenders. With proper coaching and development, Johnson could evolve into a complementary tight end option and situational weapon in the right system.
Written By:
Felix Green (ACC)
How other scouting services rate Jake Johnson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
507.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
23.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.