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6. Patrick Johnson, Tulane
6-foot-2, 250 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Third round

Despite being only a two-star recruit by Rivals coming out of high school, Tulane’s Patrick Johnson has become one of the most productive players in the 2021 NFL Draft outside linebacker class.

Johnson has had two seasons where he has recorded at least 10 sacks in a season. He finished his college career with 135 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, and 24.5 sacks.

Johnson is a very good pass rusher who shows the skills that should translate to the NFL. The first skill that transfers is his quickness. He has an explosive first step and also has the closing speed to turn pressure into a sack. He uses his hands well as a pass rusher and has a variety of pass-rushing moves. One more positive with Johnson is his ability to hold his ground vs the run.

While Johnson has been a very productive pass rusher, he has not spent a ton of time playing in coverage. He does show the athletic ability to hold up in this area but needs more reps in coverage to be proficient at it. In addition to his lack of experience in coverage, Johnson lacks the length the NFL likes.

One other issue with Johnson is he has battled some injuries during his time at Tulane, especially during the 2019 season.

Despite Johnson lacking the great measurables to be a high draft pick, it would come as a surprise if he did not develop into a solid NFL starter at outside linebacker.