A 20-year-old Kerryon Johnson is the Lions' long-term play, which means they need to make him a long-term player. A metamorphosis is about to start. At Auburn, Johnson had to find ways to survive running into the teeth of athletic defenses like Alabama and Georgia with just 6 feet and 213 pounds to throw around. He weaved in and out of series but averaged 25 carries a game in his final 10 contests. He topped 30 carries three times along the way.
Related players: LeGarrette Blount, Theo Riddick
Johnson realizes he's likely not getting 25-30 carries a game at this point, especially with Blount as a bruising back who will run between the tackles and Riddick a proven pass-catching back. Johnson is only ranked 43rd on our list which means he's a depth option for now, but he could certainly have more value as the season goes on.
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