The Facts: The Chargers already had a strong receiving corps led by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. But they added to it in a big way by drafting Johnston out of TCU in the first round of this year’s draft. So far, Johnston has left a clear positive impression on his new quarterback. “He’s a playmaker. He’s going to make a lot of plays for us,” Justin Herbert said in his Wednesday press conference. “He showed up and we knew early that we’ve got a special guy out there. He’s done a great job picking up the offense so far. He’s young, but he’s going to be something special. So, it’s been fun to watch him so far.”
Diehards Line:
Johnston was one of the key factors in powering TCU to the CFP National Championship Game, catching 60 passes for 1,069 yards with six touchdowns in his final collegiate season. Two of his best performances came toward the end of the year, when he caught four passes for 139 yards in the Big 12 championship game and then had six receptions for 163 yards with a TD in the CFP semifinal against Michigan. If Herbert, Allen, Williams, and Johnston all stay healthy, the Chargers should have a consistently explosive offense in 2023.