Emmett Johnson might not have had the NFL Combine performance he would have liked, but it appears he's still impressed onlookers plenty. In fact, he impressed Maurice Jones-Drew so much by his final season with the Nebraska football team that the former NFL star has him ranked quite a bit higher than most.
The man formerly known as MJD released his own mock draft earlier this week on NFL.com. However, the former running back is doing things just a little bit differently. Instead of projecting what player will go in what round and to what team, Jones-Drew ranked all the running backs available and put them into categories and rankings based on how he thinks they'll perform at the next level.
For Emmett Johnson, this means that MJD has him in rarified air. The Nebraska running back is one of just two players at his position that the player-turned-analyst believes are "day one starters." The Husker, who burst onto the scene in his final year of college ball, is the No. 2 back in the draft according to Jones-Drew, and alongside Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love as someone who could start in the NFL right away.
Emmett Johnson earns rare day one starter label from Maurice Jones-Drew
"I love Johnson's game," Jones-Drew wrote. "Despite clocking an underwhelming 4.56-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and logging only one big season at Nebraska -- 251 carries, 1,451 yards and 12 TDs in 2025 -- Johnson offers versatility out of the backfield that should excite NFL teams."Â
"As a runner, he has great vision and short-area quickness, plus the kind of contact balance that makes it hard for defenders to bring him down in the open field. As a receiver, Johnson is shifty and has the natural hands to take on a sizeable role in the pass game."
MJD has Emmett ranked a bit higher than other analysts. A few weeks ago, Mel Kiper put out his latest player rankings and has the Nebraska football star ranked behind Love, his old teammate Jadarian Price, and Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr.Â