In need of improved play out of the backfield, the Detroit Lions added a potential promising piece to the puzzle in this year's draft with former Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson with the 43rd overall pick in the second round.
It hasn't taken Johnson long to make a strong impression on the franchise as well as his peers as fellow rookie New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has given some major praise to the 21-year-old, according to Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press.
“Obviously watching his film in college at Auburn, he was a heck of a back,” Barkley said after the Lions and Giants held a joint walk-through on Thursday. “And as a running back, you want to see other running backs succeed, especially the rookie class and the guys you come in with and the guys you’re familiar with.”
Johnson put that on display in the preseason opener against the Oakland Raiders that saw him tally up 34 yards on seven carries while making four catches for 33 receiving yards. His performance would have been much stronger had his 57-yard run not been called back due to a penalty as he demonstrated to have big-play ability and shiftiness in the open field to make opponents miss.
The Lions have been looking to find a stable force in the backfield for quite some time with their last 1,000 rusher coming in 2013 with Reggie Bush. Although it may just be the preseason, Johnson has displayed some potential to possibly be the long-term answer in the backfield as he will be competing with LeGarrette Blount and Ameer Abdullah for playing time.
If he continues to perform the way he has in the preseason, it could go a long way in helping him secure more playing time in his rookie campaign. The all-around talent is clearly there, it's on him to build on his strong showing in the preseason and training camp over the next couple of weeks.
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