Are you tired of hearing it? Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson is going to be really good. He is going to be a star.
Fans get excited about him, but general manager Steve Keim continues to gush about his 2015 third round pick.
When he was on the final episode of the Big Red Rage of the season, Keim spoke of how "scary" Johnson's potential is.
"Going back and looking at the tape of what he did for us recently, from a skill set standpoint, it's scary," he said. "At 6-1, 226 pounds, a guy who can bend and make lateral cuts the way he does and have the ball skills and the matchup possibilities out of the backfield, he's truly a three-down back that's got the size and the strength to punish in the run game and he's got the skill and the athleticism in the passing game, which is scary."
He continued, "for a guy who's only scratching the surface, it's scary to think what he could be."
Keim pointed out how Chris Johnson was a great addition to the team, especially how he showed the younger Johnson "how to be a pro early on in the process," and then Keim was asked if 2000 yards in a season could be a reality for Johnson in his career.
Keim wasn't willing to go that far, but did say 2000 total yards from scrimmage were, combining rushing and receiving yards. "The way he catches the ball out of the backfield and the weapon he is as a receiver, I think he could end up being one of the best all-around backs in the NFL when you look at being a complete player," Keim explained.
Johnson has the size, speed and appears to have the durability that Andre Ellington doesn't have.
Cardinals fans have heard these same things in the past. Just two years ago it was much of what we heard about Ellington after his breakout second half in 2013. He just couldn't stay healthy.
Johnson even showed he could improve. Coming out of college, Keim noted there was only one real concern about Johnson. "The one thing I thought if there was anything that David could improve, it was running behind his pads consistently and breaking tackles," he said. "And I'll tell you what, he did a fantastic job this year."
Who can forget his physical running this season or the touchdown against the
Eagles that made people think of
Marshawn Lynch?
The hype is real. The team sees great things coming. Fans believe in him. If he stays healthy, he could be a star.