The NFL's Answer to Usain Bolt: Tennesee's Chris Johnson

The Titans stunned more than a few people in April when they drafted the combine's fastest man, Chris Johnson, in the 1st round. Many thought that they fell in love with a 40-time, claiming that Chris Johnson was just a workout warrior and that he didn't have the size to be a running back in the NFL. He wasn't just called a workout warrior, a small college running back, but more than a few "experts" designated him "a poor man's Reggie Bush". I wasn't sure what to believe, having never seen Chris play. After a couple pre-season games I'm willing to give the Titans an A+ for their decision to draft this dynamic running back. If his Youtube college highlights weren't enough to make me a believer, his explosiveness against 1st team defenses is. I know it's just the pre-season, but so far Chris Johnson is the fastest man on the field. Unlike Reggie Bush, Johnson's speed is still too fast for the rest of the NFL. Bush has been quoted saying that defenses are a lot faster at this level and it's hard for him to get outside. The speed of the game has limited what Reggie can do, and since he wasn't a great inside runner to start with, he has become a poor man's Brian Westbrook. I don't think you'll ever hear Chris Johnson saying that it's too hard for him to get to the outside. In his first couple pre-season games, Chris Johnson has shown me that he's not a version of anyone, let alone a poor man's Reggie Bush. Johnson's toughness and 0-60 speed is a combination that, if he stays healthy, should make him one of the scariest offensive players in the League. Usain Bolt has taken the Olympics by storm, and he surely is the World's Fastest Man, but Chris Johnson is looking for that title on a lesser scale, the NFL's Fastest Man. Chris makes everyone else look like they're standing still. With LenDale White sharing the load with Johnson, his relatively small size shouldn't be a problem. He's just a rookie, but I see a big season out of the 1st round running back from ECU. He can catch the ball well, and Vince Young will have plenty of short passes to Chris that turn into big gains. The Titans needed a player with elite play-making ability and they're first round pick might just get them over the top. That means that Chris Johnson might be a nice sleeper candidate for Fantasy Football owners everywhere. With huge-play potential and the starting back upside in a nice Tennessee rushing attack, Johnson's selection late in fantasy drafts could pay immediate dividends. One thing's for sure, the kid is fun to watch.