Penn State tight end Theo Johnson had a record-setting performance at the NFL Combine. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)
Okay, so Penn State Football tight end Theo Johnson is not Xavier Worth, the combustible wide receiver from Texas who set the record for the fastest 40 yard dash at the NFL combine this past weekend.
But reppin’ the Nittany Lions‘ explosive tight end room was Johnson, who posted a blazing 4.57 40 time that put him in the 90th percentile at his position. Johnson‘s eye brow raising performance was deemed one of the best ever by a tight end.
In fairness, Georgia’s Brock Bower, who is projected to be the top tight end prospect entering next month’s NFL draft did not test. Nevertheless Johnson showed off his explosiveness, turning in a 39.5” Vertical that was in the 97th percentile at his position as well as a 10’-5” Broad Jump which landed him in the 93rd percentile.
Johnson’s junior year, the speedy big man averaged 16.4 yards per catch and over the last two seasons his big play ability was evident as he averaged a touchdown grab per every 4.9 receptions.
Overall he blew everyone away with his relative athletic score (RAS) a 9.99 out of 10, which was revised from a perfect 10 initially. That near flawless score made him the No. 2 testing tight end out of 1,105 since 1987. Only four others have had a perfect R.A.S. (10) since the combine’s inception.
So how does his RAS match up with some of the other big name NFL active tight ends? Well, check it out:
Theo Johnson 9.99 Penn State
Travis Kelce 9.27 Chiefs – 4-time 1st team All-Pro, 3-time Super Bowl champion
Rob Gronkowski 9.31 Pats – 4-time 1st Team All-Pro, 4-time Super Bowl champion
Zach Ertz 6.36 Eagles – 3-time Pro-Bowl, Super Bowl Champion
George Kittle 9.52 49ers – 2-time All-Pro, played in 3 Super Bowls
Johnson is considered by most scouts to be an athletic specimen who has untapped potential.
His blocking ability will undoubtedly help him in the draft and he’s expected to come off the board early on day three, which would be early in the fourth round.
MORE: Chop Robinson Posts Blazing 40-Yard Dash Time (VIDEO)
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It was at PRISM where Staszak produced live games and began his career as an on-air reporter.
After a couple of brief stints with CBS-3, WB-17 and WGAL-8 in Lancaster, PA, Staszak began a 12 year stretch at FOX 29 where he became the lead sportscaster in 2007. It was there that Staszak found himself in the middle of Philadelphia Phillies World Series Championship coverage that earned him an Emmy nomination for best sports reporter in 2008.It was one of five Emmy nominations that Staszak earned over the course of his career.
All told Staszak covered three World Series, two Stanley Cup Finals, an NBA Finals and one Super Bowl during his television run.
Staszak left the TV business for 97.5 The Fanatic in 2013, where he enjoyed eight years bloviating his beliefs on how a professional football team should be run.In 2018 when he fortunate enough to be the first sports talk host in the city, along with cohort Zach Gelb, to provide post-game coverage of the first Super Bowl Championship for the city’s beloved Philadelphia Eagles.
Staszak was also a writer for 97.5 The Fanatic along with 4 Philly Sports and now covers Penn State athletics for NittanyCentral.com.
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Author
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A proud graduate of Villanova University, Staszak’s first gig in the industry was with PRISM sports in 1989, covering the four local home teams, the Flyers, 76ers and Phillies while also covering the Randall Cunningham-led Philadelphia Eagles.
It was at PRISM where Staszak produced live games and began his career as an on-air reporter.
After a couple of brief stints with CBS-3, WB-17 and WGAL-8 in Lancaster, PA, Staszak began a 12 year stretch at FOX 29 where he became the lead sportscaster in 2007. It was there that Staszak found himself in the middle of Philadelphia Phillies World Series Championship coverage that earned him an Emmy nomination for best sports reporter in 2008. It was one of five Emmy nominations that Staszak earned over the course of his career.
All told Staszak covered three World Series, two Stanley Cup Finals, an NBA Finals and one Super Bowl during his television run.
Staszak left the TV business for 97.5 The Fanatic in 2013, where he enjoyed eight years bloviating his beliefs on how a professional football team should be run. In 2018 when he fortunate enough to be the first sports talk host in the city, along with cohort Zach Gelb, to provide post-game coverage of the first Super Bowl Championship for the city’s beloved Philadelphia Eagles.
Staszak was also a writer for 97.5 The Fanatic, and currently covers the Eagles for Heavy Sports, in addition to Penn State athletics for NittanyCentral.com.
About the Author
