Nearly every first-round pick this year has come to terms on his four-year agreement (feat. the fifth-year option). The Chargers became the latest team to lock down their top draftee, signing Zion Johnson on Friday.
A standout guard from Boston College, Johnson was the second interior offensive lineman off the board this year — following only Texas A&M’s Kenyon Green, who went 15th overall to the Texans. This year’s No. 17 overall pick will be expected to play immediately for a Chargers team that loaded up on filling needs this offseason.
Johnson transferred to Boston College after spending two years at Davidson. He blocked for four 1,000-yard rushers while in college, most notably A.J. Dillon‘s 1,645-yard season in 2019. Boston College stationed Johnson at left tackle during the 2020 season, and he earned first-team All-American honors at guard last year, joining Green and fellow first-round O-linemen Ikem Ekwonu and Tyler Linderbaum on the Associated Press’ top team.
The 6-foot-2 blocker should be ticketed to be the Bolts’ right guard starter in Week 1. The team has its left side of the O-line addressed, with 2021 first-round pick Rashawn Slater thriving as a rookie alongside free agent pickup Matt Feiler, and Corey Linsley has the center post locked down. Los Angeles will likely still search for a right tackle, its weakest O-line spot last season, but Johnson fills a key need for what is expected to be a rising AFC contender.
All but five first-round picks have signed their rookie contracts. Only Linderbaum, fellow Ravens pick Kyle Hamilton, Patriots guard Cole Strange and Seahawks tackle Charles Cross remain unsigned.
Interesting that with the rookie scale they still take so long to sign. I know it’s language for offset typically but it’s often not this long when considering everyone else has signed but the four.
“A standout guard from Boston College, Johnson was the second interior offensive lineman off the board this year — following only Texas A&M’s Kenyon Green, who went 13th overall to the Texans.”
Jordan Davis went #13 to the Eagles who traded up
Kenyon Green went #15
Jordan Davis plays defensive line.
That’s cool. Kenyon Green didn’t go 13th overall. Jordan Davis did. Davis playing DL doesn’t change that fact.
The first part of the sentence is correct. The second part isn’t correct.
“…..following only Texas A&M’s Kenyon Green, who went 13th overall to the Texans.”
Kenyon Green went 15th overall to the Texans.
link to nfl.com
My bad. Misread what the issue was. Hard to remember all the trade details from draft night.
Ikem Ekwonu is an interior O-Lineman right?