LA Chargers: Bolt Beat’s 2020 NFL Draft offensive sleepers

Alexander Insdorf: Tyler Johnson, WR Minnesota

“Tyler Johnson is great value for where he might be selected in the draft. He’s a fifth or sixth round target due to “character concerns” amongst general managers and scouts. No one really knows why he wasn’t invited to the Senior Bowl after the dynamic season he had. If I had to bet, that’s where the apprehension of a lot of scouts comes from.

Despite that, his game doesn’t lie to me. He’s a terrific slot receiver who can fit into any offense with great form. His separation and red zone efficiency are great qualities. The LA Chargers, in particular, could use the latter to take some of the pressure to produce touchdowns off of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

He’s not the fastest receiver out there, but he isn’t a one-dimensional big body either. He’s not the burner John Ross was, but he’s got more than enough positives to make up for it.

I don’t know what character issues people are talking about. “Off the field issues” is a vague term analysts are using that doesn’t seem to apply for Johnson. In addition to that, this is one of the deepest wide receiver drafts in years. That’s probably another reason he’s lower in the rankings, but that can work in the Chargers’ favor. If someone like Johnson or K.J. Hill is available in the fifth round, it might justify taking one early receiver and one late receiver in the draft.

Not running the 40-yard dash seems to infuriate the combine crazies, but he was PFF’s No. 1 wide receiver in 2019. He has a 98 percent dominator rating. If he’s still on the board in the fourth or fifth round, it should be a fairly easy choice to put him in the slot and let him work with Allen and Williams.”