MIKE GROSS | Sports WriterSTATE COLLEGE — Theo Johnson stood dripping with sweat, having pushed himself through a full workout at Penn State’s Pro Day on Friday at Holuba Hall.
Before Friday, Johnson had stood out for his performance at the Senior Bowl in February and with his testing numbers and interaction with NFL teams during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Johnson had the second-highest Relative Athletic Score, a metric that combines multiple numbers measuring athleticism, for a tight end in combine history.
His production during his college career — 73 receptions and 12 touchdowns over 53 games — was good, but less than his talent would indicate was possible.
He is among the top three or four tight end prospects for next month’s draft, but there are always more questions to answer.
“People said I don’t move well for my size,” Johnson said, “so I want to show everybody that I’m fluid in my routes and I move around a lot different than a typical 6-6, 260-pound man.”
Johnson did blocking drills, the three-cone agility drill and ran pass routes and caught balls from current Penn State quarterback Drew Allar on Friday.
He said he was meeting with the New York Jets later Friday. He also has meetings scheduled with Seattle and the New York Giants.
At the combine, he did interviews with most NFL teams, including shooting hoops at a mini-basket with representatives of the Eagles, and a sit-down with Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid.
“(With) the Chiefs, it was a little more formal, a little more serious,” Johnson said. “Like everyone was a little quiet. That one you’ve got to make sure you’re on all your stuff. It’s not as lighthearted.’’
Nit notes: Running back Saquon Barkley, freshly signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles, was at Holuba, as were ex-teammates Trace McSorley and DaeSean Hamilton.
Hamilton, a wide receiver who was with the Denver Broncos from 2018-20, ran some pass routes.
Nittany Lions coach James Franklin was also in Holuba early in Friday’s session, but did not meet with the media in the wake of news that the NFL is investigating the Eagles for tampering with Barkley based on Frankin’s comments in a news conference Tuesday. …
Defensive end Chop Robinson continued to show beyond-elite athleticism Friday with a 6.98 performance in the L drill (trust us, that’s elite for a 255-pound human).
At the combine, Robinson ran a 4.48 40 (fastest for an edge rusher) with a 1.54 10-yard split (best ever for 250 pounds or over) and a 10-8 broad jump (best for an edge rusher).
Robinson said some teams have talked to him about playing linebacker. Either way, he said he thinks he’s a first-rounder.
“I’ve got the best get-off (explosiveness) and the best hands, and that’s something you can’t teach,” he said. “I’m a guy who shows up every single day, who’s consistent with what I do.” …
Left tackle Olu Fashanu will be a first-rounder, but he did leave the combine early after sustaining a quad injury. He did drills Friday and said his physical condition was around 80%.
He said he expected to be at 100% by draft day on April 25. …
Kicker Alex Felkins, the Columbia transfer who quietly had a strong year for the Lions, nailed field goals of 44, 54, 60 and 61 yards Friday. …
Cornerback Kalen King ran unofficial 4.51 and 4.55 40s Friday, a marked improvement on his 4.61 at the combine, a number probably unacceptable for an NFL corner. King’s draft stock has sagged as he struggled late last season and at the Senior Bowl, and tested poorly at the combine. …
Safety Keaton Ellis, who played mostly on special teams during his college career, clocked unofficial 4.43 and 4.49 40s Friday. …
NFL teams are famous for asking goofy questions of prospects. Both Robinson and linebacker Curtis Jacobs were asked, “How many basketballs can you fit in a school bus?”
“It was a long calculation to see how you think and process information,” Johnson said.
Fashanu said he got the perennial, “LeBron or Jordan?”
He took LeBron.
