The Nashville Tennessean reports Tennessee Titans first round draft pick RB Chris Johnson (5-11, 200, 4.24) has shown good lateral speed, acceleration, cutting ability, and receiving skills during spring practices. Just as important, he has grasped the nuances of OC Mike Heimerdinger's offense. "Everything they're throwing at me, I've got down," he said. "If I execute everything they've given me, that will let them go ahead and start adding more ways to get the football in my hands." This is encouraging on several fronts. Rookies usually face a serious learning curve. Johnson has digested everything and is asking for more. Heimerdinger, who is in his second tour of duty as Titans offensive coordinator, will do his best to accommodate Johnson. Already, he has scratched out formations that put Johnson in the slot and flanked wide as well as his customary spot at running back. "I haven't had a back quite like him to work with," Heimerdinger said. "He can do a lot of things from a lot of spots. It gives you some options, some matchups." If Johnson is as good and as versatile as advertised, it's hard to see RB Chris Henry getting many touches.

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• The more I hear and read on this young man the more I am impressed. He will be my rookie draft target at pick #4.

He's definitely a guy I like a lot this year. I am looking to snag him in a few redrafts if I can get him late. Tennessee needs a playmaker like him to do well, so they will surely use him effectively.

Dude is my #2 rookie this year, close behind DMac.

I am just glad most rookie drafts happen early, before too much national news gets out on guys like this.

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Long Live Sports Outlaw!

Very true. Can we delete this thread?

Chris Johnson WHO? **THREAD DELETED**

Nothing to see here...

cant remember the last time i seen a guy as overhyped as this... *shakes head*

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Hired Guns: Wheaton Thunder
SO CFFL: Royale with Cheese
CFA: Wheaton Thunder

Looks like the Titans bit hard on the Chris Henry hype and clearly have moved on.

I think White is still the Hammer for a couple more years.

Johnson could have an impact on the Titans, but it's a stretch to believe he'll have much of a fantasy impact this year.

LaDainian Tomlinson got hyped like hell, especially by me, in the months leading up to him being drafted.

I can't remember which website it was back then that I was writing for (there was about three at the same time), but I was all over this guy as being the next great thing and was absolutely blasted at the time with hate mail for even thinking a guy who went to a pathetic little school like TCU would do anything at the NFL level.

I am sure that very few will admit to talking down about this guy, but leading up to him being drafted, he was rated as an overhyped bust by many. People were warming up to him a little once draft time actually arrived, but even then there was much skepticism.

People need to take a good look at how this guy (Chris Johnson) runs. He is fast as hell, but he has great lower body strength, outstanding vision between the tackles, great moves to make that first guy miss, and can line up at wideout like Marshall Faulk. He is at the level that everyone "thought" Reggie Bush would be at.

I will be happy to take my plate of crow in a couple years if this guy doesn't pan out, but I don't feel too concerned about it happening.

i just look at his college videos of his work and see a lot of the same things i saw in the noel devine high school videos. lots of missed tackles and bad defensive pursuit, lots of terrible angles, and tons of breakneck speed through big holes where he simply was never caught again. that just doenst happen in the nfl, devin hester excluded. i watched like an 8 minute clip of chris johnson without seeing even once any real broken tackle or power ability. maybe it just didnt make the highlight real, but speed on its own can only get you so far imo. until i really see him do more than run a 4.2, im just not sure i can buy it. i'll be watching him closely, thats for sure.

You will buy into the greatness soon enough

I guess I just don't understand why it would be wrong to speculate In Chris's case. He is in a better situation then many of the other rookie running backs, and he isn't a tiny back. He has speed and power, great hands, an unquestioned work ethic, and is considered a very smart player. He is going to a team which is lacking play makers. He is going to be split out wide, placed in the slot, lined up in the back field, and he has already digested all of this, and they are looking at ways to add more. There just isn't alot here to dislike. Westbrook was extremely hyped when he broke onto the scene in fantasy circles. Some of us got lucky and grabbed him. Others, like me, went a different direction and regret it. I can't understand why hoping this guy can replicate what Westbrook accomplished is being questioned. At this point in their respective careers (both rookies), he is bigger, faster, every bit the receiver, and considered a much better runner. I will take my chances on him, like we all have to to do on any rb we decide on, and will try to decide at what point in the drafts he will fall to, and jump slightly ahead of that mark, to assure getting him. Some will take Stewart, some Mendenhall, some Smith, some Forte, the smart money seems to be on McFadden. I will take Johnson after these guys are likely gone. Might it be a mistake??? Nobody knows for sure, but I like his chances for impact, early on, this season.

This is something that is going very overlooked in discussion about this guy. He absorbs everything immediately. Extremely intelligent, and an outstanding athlete.

If you are still ignoring this guy, it is time to stop. All he does is produce when the ball is in his hands.

Show it too me against a few #1 defenses.

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2008 Black Knights Football - 12 wins isn't enough

guy does look good so far though....

Hmmm...I wonder who the Roothogs will draft?

Echoes of Kansas, yes? Because from what I've watched of this dude, he's so fast he hits a hole and is in the second level before anybody can even think of touching him. I had the same thought as Mike the second time I watched Johnson and realized he was for real, this guy is what Bush was hyped to be.

I'm calling it now, Offensive ROY and I dare anybody to say otherwise.

D MAC! Looks like I just said otherwise.......

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He is going earlier in each draft I have been in.

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Sports Outlaw Fantasy Football League Champion 2007 - Maelstrom

Chris Johnson looks like the real deal. I love the Titans and the Raiders this year, because I'm expecting them both to play with chips on their shoulders. DMac is serious, Jamarcus Russell has one helluva cannon, and Vince Young has enough weapons around him now to shine. We'll see if he does, but I'm going to keep my eyes on these two teams