P. J. Fleck On Tyler Johnson
April 25th, 2020
Bucs WR Tyler Johnson.
Regular readers know that Joe’s been a P.J. Fleck fan since the days he was a receivers coach for the Bucs and would try to guard Vincent Jackson on pass routes in training camp practices.
Fleck is a high-energy fireball who left the Bucs after Greg Schiano’s first season, Fleck rowed his boat to Western Michigan, won there and then turned around one of the country’s most moribund programs in Minnesota.
This past January, the Gophers beat Auburn in the Outback Bowl, which just a couple of years ago seemed as unthinkable as Elmhurst College beating Auburn.
And the turnaround of the Gophers happened largely on the shoulders of new Bucs wide receiver Tyler Johnson. In fact, Johnson was expected to leave after 2018; he was graded as a draft candidate but chose to stay with Fleck.
A three-year starter for the Gophers, Johnson’s last game came in the Outback Bowl win. And Fleck got all choked up about Johnson, documents Saturday Tradition.
“He’s gonna be a great asset to any program. He works hard, he’s a team guy, he’s a culture guy. He’s unique, he’s trained in a very unique program and culture,” Fleck said. “The best advice I gave him is ‘be you and be the culture, and you will stand out like a sore thumb in a positive way in the National Football League.’
“I thank him, because he didn’t have to do what he did. And when you have players that do that, and that’s your second-year coach and they’ve had three coaches with three different cultures and he decides to stay and do that, he sets the example for so many. Because it was his decision.
“Nobody forced him to stay. He made an educated decision, got all the paperwork, didn’t let anybody get into his head and give him bad advice. He got the right advice from the people he loves, from the people he trusts, made a decisive decision, and said ‘this is my decision.’ And this just shows, when you get the right decision and he makes the right decision because it’s the educated decision, positive things happen.”
The Bucs may have gotten a sleeper here. He has excellent hands and Johnson holds the Minnesota record for most catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in a single season.
Johnson is also the only receiver in Gophers history to have multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:28 pm
Lots of contested catches in college because he has little ability to separate. Might be a slot guy in the making. Might be looking for work in four months.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:29 pm
sounds good enough to me, welcome to the bucs tyler
April 25th, 2020 at 3:30 pm
I’m actually stoked for this pick but I keep hearing from different outlets that he has great hands but 17 drops in past two years. So which is it?
April 25th, 2020 at 3:31 pm
“Dude is scared to run the 40 and show everyone the 4.8 time
I think our new tackle Tristan Wirfs can take him in the 40”
K ok be Faker
April 25th, 2020 at 3:32 pm
Good value for Round 5. P.J. Fleck is a coach that is truly loved by his players.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:33 pm
Excellent pick.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:33 pm
I bet he will be better than Miller or Watson. Nice replacement for Perriman – who I didn’t really like anyway.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:34 pm
for a 5th rd pick he sounds damn good
April 25th, 2020 at 3:34 pm
Didnt take long for the negative comments..The poor kid hasnt even stepped on the field yet..I swear the bucs have the most negative fans base..
April 25th, 2020 at 3:36 pm
Brady will make he and Vaughn look like 2nd rounders……
April 25th, 2020 at 3:36 pm
Love it. More depth, and a 3rd WR for Brady will help this team tremendously!
April 25th, 2020 at 3:37 pm
I agree with tampabaybucfan
April 25th, 2020 at 3:38 pm
Gonna be getting locked up in practice by
https://youtu.be/ii2mMkR3vPk
April 25th, 2020 at 3:38 pm
Tyler Johnson…..could be a good pick….Now we got two Tyler Johnsons in Tampa ….Tampa Bay Lightning Tyler Johnson…
April 25th, 2020 at 3:41 pm
Joe, you said Smith would never play right side of the line.what would happen if we went and got Trent Williams for OJ. where would Smith play then.thanks Joe, love ur site!
April 25th, 2020 at 3:42 pm
both of the minnesota players, in fact everyone in the draft so far show a little extra in the leadership category. that is huge imo. after injuries reshuffle everyone, in a year or two no one is worried about measurables. these kids all look like players that will be a pleasure to root for.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:47 pm
Mathew – Very nice comment. Good points.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:51 pm
Great pick!!
April 25th, 2020 at 3:54 pm
Matthew
Exactly……sometimes it’s not the 40 time that counts as much……but we have some with good ones…..Last years good characters were Devin White & SMB….and I’m sure others……Justin Watson
This year Wirfs, Winfield & Johnson seem to have great qualities…..
April 25th, 2020 at 3:54 pm
Not impressed with this draft and strategy D-
One guy Wirfs is going to contribute this year.
Wirfs was nice but Peters is a free agent.
Winfield = Evans bad wheels
RB there’s 10 guys on the street or practice squads that match talent and price.
Mortgage whole draft move up get Simmons is an A grade. Grab Peters.
Draft Wirfs trade remaining picked to move up and get a top rb or wr grade A.
Draft Wirfs move him to guard trade up get Ezra Cleveland or Jones. Now you have great line with depth A+ grade.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:56 pm
Seems to have good body control. I see a tiny bit of Larry Fitzgerald in him. Calm down, I said a tiny bit…
April 25th, 2020 at 3:57 pm
Daniel, why did you give up your GM job?
April 25th, 2020 at 3:57 pm
Kobe faker says ““Dude is scared to run the 40 and show everyone the 4.8 time
…”
Shouldn’t lie… he did not run a 4.8. Might not be a 4.4 sprinter but the kid manages to get enough separations to be the leading catcher in Minnesota’s history.
April 25th, 2020 at 3:57 pm
This is a good pick! Guy has production. The drops can be coached out of him!
April 25th, 2020 at 4:00 pm
Special teams
April 25th, 2020 at 4:01 pm
Did anyone notice that on day 1 and day 2 of the draft that ESPN didn’t cut to commercials during our picks? That’s the first time in my memory that has happened. The Tom Brady effect continues.
April 25th, 2020 at 4:05 pm
K obe Faker …
he ran the 40- 4.5
He has Hands, fights for the ball, size, hard worker.
He is fast enough but no breakaway gear.
Uses his body and fights for the ball. Had some drops because he is always fighting for the ball.
He’s a good route runner but he does not have the burst to separate, that’s why he doesn’t have a top gear to take it the distance usually.
A lot of people think he is a steal on the fifth because he has everything you want other than a quick burst.
In a nutshell, sounds like a fantastic receiver for round five.
Some of you so-called football fans are looking for a player with absolutely no negatives in every single round with every single picK. It’s just pure ignorance
April 25th, 2020 at 4:07 pm
My only concern is his 17 drops and speed. He didn’t run the 40 but I saw him get caught from behind in several games on the college level. However, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt because some of the greatest NFL HOF players didn’t have good speed, one in particular is Jerry Rice, he had football speed and new how to get open to break on the ball. Let’s play this by ear.
April 25th, 2020 at 4:07 pm
Potential is there cuz the production is real. Great value in the 5th round and can come in and compete. I like the pick
April 25th, 2020 at 4:09 pm
Everyone keeps talking about drops. The guy caught approximately
160 balls for 2500 yards and 25 TDs The last two years in a big-time conference. He had 17 drops. The vast majority of them are due to his one major flaw, he does not have a burst to separate. He’s usually fighting for the bar or has a defender damn close.
He is a damn good receiver that would have been second or third round the last couple years.
We shall see.
April 25th, 2020 at 4:11 pm
Dmatt- he ran 4.5.
He doesn’t have a burst to separate or top end gear to take it to the house. Doesn’t matter.
Run the right routes, use your body to defend against the receiver and make the catch.
Overall he has a damn good hands and makes some awesome catches
April 25th, 2020 at 4:12 pm
That’s like asking what where would Ronald Jones play if the Bucs drafted Dalvin Cook?
The only thing Joe knows is that Donovan Smith told Joe — the words came straight out of his own mouth — that he physically cannot play right tackle. So Joe is guessing Williams would have played right tackle.
Confident Bucs were not going to pay Smith to sit on the bench for $14 million guaranteed or sit at home and sing to himself in the shower.
April 25th, 2020 at 4:20 pm
Raequan Davis or Trey Adams please
April 25th, 2020 at 4:20 pm
Raequan Williams*
April 25th, 2020 at 4:23 pm
Finally a D Lineman
April 25th, 2020 at 4:31 pm
All of you that are concerned about his drops. Remember Mike Evans drops alot of passes and I don’t see you complaining. Give the kid a chance. I think this was a steal for us.
April 25th, 2020 at 4:35 pm
I’m going to go ahead and say what no one else will …Mr. 5,000 could have used that ability to go get those jump balls last year….but wait he’s not here anymore,…now we have Mr. Perfect…hit you in stride…THE GOAT…THE GREAT WHIT HOPE! Can’t wait to see this turn into a train wreck…especially after you take O J ‘s job and gift it to BROKE BACK MOUNTAIN MAN GRONK THE DRUNK!! Let’s GO BUCS. SUPER BOWL OR SUPER FAILER!!
April 25th, 2020 at 4:56 pm
I’m warming up to this guy the more I learn.
Seems like he easily could have gone in the 3rd or 4th
April 25th, 2020 at 5:17 pm
This is a really good pick. Unless we sign some Vets- this kid will get productive field time this year.
Really talented. Does need to focus on making the catch- then running!
April 25th, 2020 at 11:30 pm
miller will be our take it off the top dude…
it is what it is…
brady isn’t going to throw bombs like jameis did last year…
at least not nearly as much…
brady needs to stay upright in the pocket…
and it will be a thing of beauty when he stands tall and bounces on his toes in a bucs uni, to deliver throws like he is so known for in highlight his reels