Roschon Johnson was never the No. 1 running back in Texas' backfield, but he was arguably the No. 1 player fans on the Forty Acres rooted for.
Maybe in the NFL that leadership and charisma will lead to a dominant career.
Johnson, the heart and soul of the Longhorns, was selected No. 115 overall by the Chicago Bears. He joins fellow running back and reigning Doak Walker Award winner Bijan Robinson as the next crop of Texas players to enter the league.
Robinson, who finished fourth all-time in rushing yards (3,410) and ninth in total points (246), lasted seven picks before the Atlanta Falcons made him the selection eighth overall. He joins an up-and-coming youthful roster that features a plethora of key offensive weapons, including quarterback Desmond Ridder (23 years old), running back Tyler Allieger (23), tight end Kyle Pitts (22), and receiver Drake London (21).
Johnson, a quarterback-turned-runner under then-coach Tom Herman, was the thunder to Robinson's lightning. More of the ground-and-pound type performer, Johnson fought for the hard yards, and often made his impact felt when working in pass protection.
Never call Johnson a "one-trick pony" just because of his success on third down. Standing 6-2 and weighing 222 pounds, Johnson has long-striding speed and can change the course of a game if allowed in the open field.
Last season, Johnson displayed balance, speed, and physicality as he rushed for 554 yards on 93 carries. He averaged 6,0 yards per run and finished with six TDs, five of which came on the ground.
"We lost Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said during an interview on the Pivot Podcast. “I owe a great deal to both of them because, when we came here, the program was not stable. Our first year? It was tough; it was hard. We lost some really tough games. (But) those guys were rocks every day. They showed up; they practiced harder than anybody, they worked harder than anybody in the offseason.”
In Chicago, Johnson will have a chance to immediately come in and compete for early reps with Khalil Herbert, and former Longhorn, D'Onta Foreman
Want even more Texas Longhorns? Check out the SI.com team page here
More must-reads: