Lands with Chiefs

The Chiefs selected Johnson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 161st overall.

Johnson (5-foot-10, 202 pounds) broke out in 2025, his fourth season with Nebraska, starting all 12 games and totaling 251 carries for 1,451 yards (No. 1 in the Big Ten) and 12 touchdowns while adding 46 catches for 370 receiving yards and another three scores. While Johnson's production, lateral agility and pass-catching chops stand out, his testing numbers were merely average, though he improved on his 4.56-second NFL Combine 40-yard dash with a 4.49-second total at Nebraska's pro day. Despite falling to the fifth round, Johnson's landing spot in head coach Andy Reid's offense is intriguing, with Emari Demercado and Brashard Smith representing his most notable competition for reserve work behind new No. 1 running back Kenneth Walker. Johnson's upside case may be limited to that of a change-of-pace role behind Walker, but he'll be a solid candidate to produce with such a gig if he can secure consistent opportunities.