Height: 5’11” – unofficial
Weight: 200 – unofficial
2026 Age: 23 – (10/10/03)
Hands:
Arm:
Projected 40: 4.52
Breakout Age: 21.75

NFL Play-Style Comparison: Theo Riddick +
Draft Grade: 6.22 (2nd/3rd Round)
1,000+ Rushing Seasons: 1

 

Offensive Market Share Metrics (Final Season)

Carries: 251
Receptions: 46
Scrimmage Yards: 1,821
Scrimmage TDs: 15
Total Production Percentage: 36.9%

High School: Academy of Holy Angels (Minneapolis, MN)
As a high school prospect: Class of 2022; 3-star (5.6)
College Attended: Nebraska

 

Pros

– Creative in the wake of chaos on a snap-to-snap basis

– Monstrous 46 receptions in 2025 lead the Draft Class, among P4 participants.

– Great combination of field vision and creation through wiggle and acceleration

– Class leading 36.9% of his team’s Total Production. (+5.8% more than Love)

– 68 Total Missed Tackles forced in 2025. Leads the Draft Class and was 6th in CFB. Ashton Jeanty led the 2024 season with 152 MTFs.

Cons

– Rather underwhelming pass protection skills, overrunning defenders, launching his frame at them late, and often being confused. Cross-checking with PFF (Graded 188th out of 279 RBs in FBS)

– Slight frame through the waist, hips, and rump creates worry of his bodyweight being north of 200 pounds in Indianapolis.

– True fourth-year breakout in the Big Ten, with limited talent around him.

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Highlight/Film – (#21 in Red vs. Michigan State)

Scouting Notes:

Emmett Johnson is an interesting cookie to crack in the 2026 NFL Draft class, as a 3-star out of Holy Angels in Minneapolis, MN. Johnson chose Nebraska over the home-state Minnesota Gophers. Redshirting his first fall at Nebraska, it took Emmett two more years to see starting snaps because of guys like Anthony Grant, Dante Dowdell, and Rahmir Johnson. When he took over in 2025, there was no looking back.

Johnson finished the season first in the Draft Class in receptions (46), Missed Tackles forced (68), and Touches (297). Through those stats, he was responsible for nearly 37% of Nebraska’s total production, nearly 6% higher than the next best player (Jeremiyah Love).

As a prospect, Johnson creates consistently in the eyes of chaos, snap after snap. His decisiveness in the heat of battle and trust in his vision are why he was able to get over the hump in 2025 and finally break out in his fourth year on campus. His slight frame through the waist, hips, and rump is worrisome for longevity in the NFL, as he will likely fall short of the Tre Mason-dixon line of 204 pounds at the Combine this spring. In pass protection, Johnson is often underwhelming, at times lunging at defenders or coming off as confused in the job at hand. If nothing else, we can close the Collegiate book on Emmett Johnson as one of the more tantalizing prospects we’ve evaluated, given the one true season of sample size and never-ending Indigestible list of potential player comps…. Salvon Ahmed, James Cook, Theo Riddick, or maybe Ty Chandler.

Cody Carpentier