Oakland Raiders: Three-Way Race For The Fifth Receiver Spot
Johnny Holton
Age: 25
From: Miami, FL
6’0”, 190lbs
College: Cincinnati
A long and speedy wide-out, there has never been any doubt that Johnny Holton possesses the physical tool kit to compete at the professional level. Recording a 4.42 40-yard dash at his pro day, he has the speed to take the top off a defense and keep defensive backs up at night.
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His potential as a legit downfield receiving option is not up for debate. A transfer out of junior college, Holton excelled as a deep threat for Cincinnati, averaging 19.4 yards per catch over his two years with the Bearcats.
After declaring for the NFL Draft, Holton faced his fair share of critics. Per Lance Zerlein of NFL.com, one of the knocks on Holton coming out of college was his lack of completeness as a receiver.
While this, combined with injuries and limited playing time, left him undrafted in 2016, his raw athleticism was enough for general manager Reggie McKenzie to sign him for the team’s offseason activities. Holton is exactly the type of player NFL coaches love to “get their hands on” and mold into well-rounded weapons.
As a rookie, he impressed enough in training camp and the preseason to make the 53-man roster as the fifth wide receiver. He was used sparingly during the season by offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, recording just two catches on three targets for 34 yards.
He saw most of his action on end-arounds where he had a cool 7.2 yards per carry average over six attempts.