ESPN writer: David Johnson one of the hardest RBs to tackle
Jun 13, 2016, 8:09 PM | Updated: Jun 14, 2016, 3:56 pm
Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) is his by Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Jake Ryan (47) during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Cardinals running back David Johnson had an explosive rookie season. ESPN writer Sheil Kapadia revealed a small reason why.
Kapadia listed the five “hardest – and easiest – running backs to bring down” in the NFL, naming Johnson as one of the five best at breaking tackles. Johnson had 581 rushing yards and 457 receiving yards as that slippery running back, scoring 12 touchdowns.
Johnson, who replaced the injured Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington on the depth chart, set the franchise record for most touchdowns by a rookie.
With 1,038 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns as a rookie, Johnson has fantasy owners salivating about his potential in 2016. He showed the ability to break tackles (2.22 yards after contact) and to be explosive as a receiver (12.7 yards per reception was tops among running backs). The only question with Johnson is touches, as Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians will have to figure out how to divide the workload between Johnson, Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington.
In Week 15, Johnson showed how tough he can be to tackle when he broke through several Eagles to score a 47-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Johnson is expected to be a centerpiece of the Cardinals offense, entering his sophomore season as the team’s presumptive number one running back.
