The Facts: The Lions drafted Johnson in the second round believing he is a three-down back. That doesn’t mean they want to use the former Auburn star that way. The Lions signed LeGarrette Blount in free agency, and they return Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah, the team’s leading rushers from last season. But Detroit, which ranked last in rushing last season, trusts that it finally has drafted a running back who can live up to the hype. “He’s a guy that’s a three-down player,” RBs coach David Walker said. “[At Auburn, he] showed he can play on first, second and third down. He showed he can play in all situations, which was important for us."

Diehards Line: Johnson led the SEC in rushing last season with 1,391 yards, playing in an offense that passed less than 40 percent of the time. He joins an offense that threw 58 percent of the time last year. Given the Lions' athletic and still-improving offensive line, Johnson is a player worth watching.