Penn State Nittany Lions’ Dependable Tight End Theo Johnson Officially Declares for 2024 NFL Draft; New Addition to Elite Group of NFL Tight Ends from Penn State

Johnson amassed just under 1,000 yards receiving in his four years at Penn State. He had 11 touchdowns throughout his career, with six of them coming in the 2023 season. Johnson needs just four receiving yards in the Peach Bowl against the Ole Miss Rebels to finish with career highs in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.

Johnson was a captain for the Nittany Lions along with Keaton Ellis, Dominic Luca, Olu Fashanu, Malick Meiga and Adisa Isaac. Every captain on the team played in Penn State’s 2022 bowl game, and the trend is starting to continue for this year’s Peach Bowl. In an article from Sports Illustrated, linebacker Kobe King detailed the way Johnson has excelled in his leadership after he gave a thank-you speech to head coach James Franklin on Senior Day.

“Theo’s message to coach Franklin was excellent and it kind of opened people’s eyes in the room,” linebacker Kobe King said. “It gave people a reflection on what coach Franklin did since he started here and what he has done.”

Penn State Nittany Lions Could Have 2 Tight Ends in the NFL Draft

Theo Johnson was marked as the fifth-ranked tight end in the 2024 NFL Draft on ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board. Although his fellow tight end Tyler Warren has not officially declared for the draft, Kiper has him just two spots behind Johnson at No. 7.

In just three years Warren has 11 touchdowns, just as many as Johnson has in four years. The two tight ends have had very similar production in 2023. Warren has 29 receptions with 295 yards, but he does have one more touchdown than Johnson on the year.

Penn State Nittany Lions’ Tight Ends Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren Could Join Elite Group of Current NFL Tight Ends from Penn State

Since his tenure as head coach of Penn State began in 2014, James Franklin has produced elite NFL prospects at the tight end position. Mike Gesicki and Pat Freiermuth are two starting NFL tight ends produced by the program. Lesser known Penn State graduate Brenton Strange is another tight end that is on an NFL roster.

Freiermuth owns the school record for career touchdown receptions by a tight end with 16, and Gesicki is right behind him with 15. Johnson and Warren are not far off with 11 career receiving touchdowns each. Freiermuth and Gesicki are both considered legends at Penn State.

Johnson may not immediately carve out a starting spot on an NFL roster the way Freiermuth and Gesicki did, but the path for him is clear. Johnson and the Nittany Lions will take on Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30 in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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