Chargers take a big target receiver with 21st pick of NFL draft
The Chargers didn’t go with pure speed Thursday in the opening round of the NFL draft.
But the player they did take at No. 21 had the team’s decision-makers afterward using several variations of the word “explosive.”
Quentin Johnston is a 6-foot-3, 208-pound wide receiver with quick feet, a notable burst and a history of making good things happen after the catch.
“He’s big, strong and fast,” general manager Tom Telesco said. “That’s a good way to start.”
Bryce Young goes No. 1 overall to the Panthers and C.J. Stroud is selected No. 2 by the Texans in the 2023 NFL draft. The Vikings pick USC’s Jordan Addison.
For the third consecutive April, the Chargers bolstered their offense around young franchise quarterback Justin Herbert.
Two years ago, they drafted tackle Rashawn Slater in the first round. In 2022, it was guard Zion Johnson.
This time, they grabbed a receiver who caught 60 passes for 1,069 yards last season while helping Texas Christian make its surprising run to the national championship game.
“That’s a great quarterback to be playing under,” Johnston,
21, said of Herbert. “I shouldn’t have any problem coming in and soaking up as much stuff as I can from him.”
For an offense that has lacked blinding speed of late, the Chargers had other faster options — Jalin Hyatt and Zay Flowers among them — still available when their first pick arrived.
But they were more sold on Johnston, who was clocked in 4.51 seconds in the 40-yard dash during his pro day.
Coach Brandon Staley talked about Johnston’s “suddenness” after catching the ball and noted his upper-percentile scores in the broad jump (11 feet, 2 inches) and vertical leap (40.5 inches).
Staley referred to Johnston as “a weapon to score the ball any time he touches it” and called his big-play ability post-reception “an element on offense that we needed.”
Johnston finished second nationally in 2022 with an average of 8.9 yards after the catch.
He called that part of his game “a no-brainer for somebody to pick me.” Johnston credited his athletic skills — honed while also playing basketball and running track while growing up in Texas — but also said his production is the result of a desire.
“It comes down to a mindset,” he said. “It’s a want-to to keep fighting for extra yards, for extra first downs. It’s something that I feel like has been instilled in me.”
Johnston joins a position group that already features Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer. With a body type similar to Williams, Johnston can provide the Chargers with more quickness, Telesco said.
Staley also talked about Johnston playing his best in the Horned Frogs’ biggest games and against their toughest opponents. In TCU’s national semifinal win over Michigan, Johnston had six receptions for 163 yards.
“He’s a big receiver, but he has really quick feet to change direction,” Telesco said.
Two of the top NFL draft 2023 quarterback prospects, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, relive moments when they met on Southern California football fields as kids.
“So he can not only try and make somebody miss … but he’s also big and strong [enough] to pull through some tackles.”
One issue Johnston did have at TCU was drops. Telesco and Staley downplayed any doubts regarding their new receiver’s ability to secure the ball.
Telesco said Johnston’s catch rate in college was 89%, adding that the Chargers would love to see that number bump up a few points.
“All these players coming in the league, from the first pick to the 31st, have part of their game that they have to work on,” Telesco said. “That’s nothing new. He’s got big strong hands. He can catch it. … We’re not overly concerned about it.”
Telesco and Staley also mentioned Johnston’s makeup and background, something they said shined through when the Chargers first met with the receiver at the combine in March.
Raised by parents who served in the U.S. Army, Johnston has the reputation of being reserved and humble.
“His work ethic just really stands out,” Telesco said. “He was raised the right way. … We like guys who have a drive and desire to be great, and he has that.”
The draft continues Friday with the Chargers having picks in the second (No. 54 overall) and third (No. 85) rounds.
Justin Herbert on recovery road
Herbert on Thursday estimated that his surgically repaired left shoulder is about 75% healed.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since he had the procedure done in late January, he said he was told to expect a five- to six-month recovery. Herbert said he hopes to begin some light throwing in the next two weeks.
“I’ve done everything I can to rehab, to get good movement back in it, strengthen it back,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy journey back. Just doing everything I can do to get back.”
Herbert, who said he hasn’t thrown since the Chargers’ season ended, hurt his shoulder against the Rams in Week 17. He played the regular-season finale and a wild-card playoff game with the joint taped up.
Asked about the importance of the nonthrowing shoulder in his mechanics, Herbert explained that the key is having stability.
The 2023 NFL draft is April 27-29 in Kansas City, Mo. Here’s our coverage.
“It’s gotta be sturdy and safe enough to able to explode through it,” he said. “Throwing is kind of a violent action. Just making sure the shoulder is ready to gear up for that.”
Along with his health, the other focal point for Herbert this offseason is a contract extension.
The Chargers and his representatives are expected to ramp up negotiations in the coming weeks.
The quarterback said he’ll remain committed to rehabbing his shoulder while allowing his agents to work on his business affairs.
“I’ve got complete faith in the Chargers organization and the front office,” Herbert said.
“They’ve done such a great job taking care of us as players. I’ve loved being a part of this team. … It’s kind of beyond my control as to what happens now. I’m just doing everything that I can control.”
The Chargers addressed their offense Thursday in the first round of the NFL draft, taking Texas Christian wide receiver Quentin Johnston with the 21st pick. The Chargers have a pick in each of the next six rounds — two rounds on Friday and four on Saturday.
Quentin Johnston — wide receiver
6 feet 3, 208 pounds, Texas Christian, Round 1, Pick 21
Notable: Johnston was born in Texas to a pair of Army veterans. His father, Carl, served in Kuwait and his mother, Sherry, during Operation Desert Storm.
Last season: As a senior, Johnston caught 60 passes for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns for a Horned Frogs team that reached the college football championship game.
Why the Chargers drafted him: Looking to bolster their cache of targets for quarterback Justin Herbert, Johnston will provide a big target with an impressive catch radius. He was TCU’s leader in yards receiving in each of his three seasons there. Johnston has had an issue with drops but can stretch the field and has proven himself to be explosive once the ball is in his hands.
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