Alabama Crimson Tide: Senior Bowl
Johnson aims to prove he's full-time LB
January, 22, 2013
Jan 22
1:29
PM ET
By
Alex Scarborough | ESPN.com
MOBILE, Ala. -- Winning 49 games and three national championships only got Nico Johnson so far. The former Alabama linebacker enters the thick of Senior Bowl practice this week with plenty of questions about his game.
Is he fast enough to play in the NFL? Is he a guy who can stay on the field in running and passing situations? Is it worth it to use a draft pick on him?
Johnson is ranked the No. 8 inside linebacker according to Scouts Inc., so the question of whether he'll be taken in April's draft is likely to be answered in the affirmative. How high, however, is another question. At 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, he has the size to play at the next level, but as pointed out in his Scouts Inc. profile, he's not an elite athlete and seems to lack the closing burst.
But Johnson isn't out to prove the skeptics wrong all at once. He's taking the laid back approach. Having played at Alabama, he's used to practicing under the watchful eye of scouts and knows that pushing too hard can get a player in trouble.
As he said, "Pressure busts pipes."
Is he fast enough to play in the NFL? Is he a guy who can stay on the field in running and passing situations? Is it worth it to use a draft pick on him?
Johnson is ranked the No. 8 inside linebacker according to Scouts Inc., so the question of whether he'll be taken in April's draft is likely to be answered in the affirmative. How high, however, is another question. At 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, he has the size to play at the next level, but as pointed out in his Scouts Inc. profile, he's not an elite athlete and seems to lack the closing burst.
But Johnson isn't out to prove the skeptics wrong all at once. He's taking the laid back approach. Having played at Alabama, he's used to practicing under the watchful eye of scouts and knows that pushing too hard can get a player in trouble.
As he said, "Pressure busts pipes."
ABOUT TIDE NATION
Greg Ostendorf
Greg Ostendorf joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering University of Alabama football and basketball recruiting at the Tuscaloosa News and Rivals.com. Ostendorf graduated from the University of Alabama and currently resides in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Email him at gsostendorf.espn@gmail.com.
Alex Scarborough
Alex Scarborough joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering University of Alabama athletics and high school football for The Tuscaloosa News. He currently resides in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Email him at alexscarborough.espn@gmail.com.