There are few NFL analysts who put the amount of time into studying wide receivers that Matt Harmon does. His Reception Perception methodology is thorough to a depth no one can match. So when he started talking about Pittsburgh Steelers Diontae Johnson, we listened.
But to be honest, Harmon’s breakdown of Johnson was all over the board. This perfectly encapsulates the way Steelers fans feel about Johnson as well.
He says things like this:
“Pretty high on the boneheaded play scale”
Then follows it up by saying he is an elite route runner and a No. 1 wide receiver. He’s also right about both. Harmon and his co-host joke about Johnson’s tendency to run backward after making a catch, and it is spot on.
Bigger than all that, Harmon did a great job breaking down how Johnson’s route tree is the biggest thing holding him back. And with that, offensive coordinator Matt Canada and his inability to coach the passing game against zone defenses come up. Again, Harmon is absolutely right.
To summarize Harmon’s thoughts, Johnson could be much more as a receiver if Canada gets better in his scheming and Johnson can work on what he does once he has the football in his hands. Both are 100 percent true.
