The Tennessee Titans are entering a new era. They've moved on from the likes of Mike Vrabel, Ryan Tannehill, and Derrick Henry and replaced them with Brian Callahan, Will Levis, Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. It's a new era in Nashville that will include a rookie class of draft picks like Alabama's JC Latham and potential undrafted diamonds in the rough. Washington's Dillon Johnson could be one of the latter and may even find his way onto the Titans' 53-man roster in the fall.

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Dillon Johnson

If it weren't for injuries and poor athletic testing, Johnson almost surely would've been drafted. He suffered a foot injury during the College Football Playoff with the Washington Huskies that compromised his ability in their National Championship Game against Michigan.

Perhaps that injury played a part in Johnson's pre-draft athletic testing. He was only able to post a 4.68 40-yard dash and a RAS of 4.34. A score that low isn't a death knell for a running back, but it does limit the upside he can provide as a player. That along with his modest production at Mississippi State made Johnson fly under the radar during the draft process.

But that doesn't mean that he can't play. Johnson was efficient and versatile for the majority of his college career. He averaged at least five yards per carry in three of his four seasons at Mississippi State and Washington. Though he was primarily a part-time player in Starkville, Johnson proved he could carry a full load in Seattle in 2023. He turned 233 carries into 1,195 yards and 16 touchdowns as a Husky.

Johnson was also very active and relied upon as a receiver out of the backfield. He caught 173 passes during his four seasons and turned those into 1,054 yards and one touchdown. Though the Titans already have dynamic pass catchers in their running back room in Spears and Pollard, that versatility should bode well for Johnson.

The situation in Tennessee

Johnson is unlikely to supplant those two backs listed above, but it isn't far-fetched to believe that he could win the third-string job in training camp. His competition for that spot is not very fierce. Hassan Haskins was a fourth-round pick by the previous coaching staff and front office, but he has been a non-factor in the NFL. In two seasons he has just 25 carries for 93 yards. All of those came in 2022.

There isn't much depth on Tennessee's roster at the moment outside of Haskins. Julius Chestnut is the only other running back on the team with NFL experience. Chestnut was also an undrafted free agent who has stuck with the Titans since 2022. However, in those two seasons, he has accrued just nine carries for 13 yards. Most of his playing time has come via special teams.

It shouldn't be that hard for Johnson to make his case over these two, especially with his style of play. Johnson is a bruiser and grinder of a back. He likes to hit people and uses his toughness to his advantage to churn yards between the tackles. That style makes him a great complement to Spears and Pollard.

The Titans did also sign former Tennessee Volunteers running back Jabari Small, who could also emerge from this group as the third back in Nashville. But Johnson was more productive last year than Small was in any of his four collegiate seasons. The path is there for him to earn a roster spot. It shouldn't be a surprise if he makes it by the time training camp subsides.