Nebraska Rb Emmett Johnson Would Be An Exciting Option For The Broncos On Day 3 Of The Draft

One prospect who may interest the Denver Broncos in the middle rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft is Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson. He is a 5-10, 202-pound running back who is one of the better overall backs in the entire draft.

Johnson is an explosive downhill running back who gives it his all each and every carry. He is not the biggest, fastest, or most explosive back in the draft, but his effort is among the best in this draft, and Johnson is expected to be one of the first backs selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

After being a backup player for the past three seasons, Johnson was Nebraska’s starting running back this past season, and he did not disappoint. He played in 12 games for the Cornhuskers and had 251 carries for 1,451 yards, a yards per carry average of 5.8, 12 rushing touchdowns, and 46 receptions for 370 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. This breakout year has made Johnson one of the top backs in the 2026 NFL Draft.

After re-signing veteran running back JK Dobbins to pair with second-year back RJ Harvey, the Broncos will be looking to add some depth and insurance to their running back room. Dobbins has dealt with injuries throughout his career, and when he went down, the running game was never the same for the Broncos, and that cost them in the playoffs. So, adding a back like Johnson in the mid-rounds of the draft to strengthen and deepen their running back room would make a lot of sense for them.

Player Profile

Emmett Johnson | Running Back | Nebraska

• Height: 5-10
• Weight: 202 pounds
• Arm Length: 30 1/4 inches
• Hands: 9 3/4 inches
• 40-time: 4.56 seconds
• 10-Yard Split: 1.59 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 35.5 inches
• Broad Jump: 10-0
• 3-Cone Drill: 7.32 seconds
• 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.29 seconds
• Bench Press: 16 reps

Film Room

Scouting Report

Strengths

• High effort player who plays with his hair on fire
• Exceptional vision and patience allow him to set up blocks and identify running lanes
• Despite not having great speed, he accelerates quickly and can break off some long runs
• Quickly hits the hole and doesn’t dance behind his blockers
• Can make multiple cuts without losing any speed
• Slippery and elusive in space
• His lateral agility is special and on full display on film
• Plays bigger than his size, and has plus contact balance, which keeps him going through contact
• Is not afraid to lower his shoulder and take on a defender
• Has soft hands, is explosive in space, and will be a weapon in the pass game
• A proven and productive volume back in college
• Great fit for a zone offense

Weaknesses

• He plays faster than his timed speed, but he still lacks top-end long speed
• Has a smaller frame, which could limit his role against bigger, stronger, and faster players in the NFL
• Profiles more as a change of pace/third-down pass catcher option than a true volume back

What other analysts are saying about Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson

NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein on Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson

Johnson is a hard-charging, gap-scheme runner. He brings a steady dose of urgency, decisiveness and fairly predictable run tracks. Johnson’s production and game-by-game consistency stand out despite average size and top-end speed. He steps on the accelerator once he touches the ball, but the run becomes segmented when he attempts to cut laterally. He struggles to create for himself when the point of entry is cloudy. Johnson can beat linebackers to the run fit but won’t usually run through them with power. He’s able to help as a pass-catcher and projects as a solid backup best suited for downhill concepts.

Emmett Johnson’s RAS

Should the Denver Broncos draft RB Emmett Johnson in the mid rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft?

I came out of this a big Emmett Johnson fan.

Sure, his size and testing numbers will wow you, but if you turn on the tape, you see an exciting running back prospect. He plays faster than his testing numbers, he plays bigger than his size, and he was very productive for Nebraska this past season.

He profiles as a one-cut zone blocking scheme back who uses his vision to find the hole and pop off a long gain. The Broncos played more zone this past season, so I think Johnson would fit right in with that running back room.

While I don’t think he will be a 20+ touch guy each and every week, he can be a valuable change of pace back who can provide depth behind veteran JK Dobbins and second-year back RJ Harvey. He has the running ability to come in for Dobbins if needed and the receiving upside to step in for Harvey as well.

I think he is a day 3 back that will slip a little bit due to his size/testing numbers, but I would love it if the Broncos were able to select him with one of their day 3 picks.