Packers will Host IDL Eric Johnson on Top-30 Visit

As part of the pre-draft process, the Green Bay Packers can have 30 official visits, where prospects are able to come to the facility. This gives teams the opportunity to talk one-on-one with a prospect, which can be difficult to do at the combine and pro-days.

We know of a handful of players who the Packers have had in or will have in prior to the draft, but a new name that can be added to that list is interior defensive lineman Eric Johnson from Missouri State, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic.

The interior defensive line is absolutely a position that the Green Bay Packers should be looking to add to in the draft.

For starters, even with Dean Lowry coming off his best season as a pass-rusher and the addition of Jarran Reed, it’s a position that can still be upgraded—specifically against the run. On top of that, there are only five interior defensive linemen currently on the roster, and as we look ahead to 2023, Kenny Clark and TJ Slaton are the only players under contract at that time.

Johnson played five years at Missouri State, totaling 1,718 career snaps, according to PFF ($$), although a bulk of them — 1,129 to be exact — came over the last two.

During that two-year span, Johnson would record 45 pressures, including 31 in 2021, which would have ranked tied for 15th at the FBS level, and four sacks. He would also finish this past season ranked top-10 in stops — or plays that result in a “loss” for the offense — as well as in PFF’s run defense grade as well.

Johnson did line up as a defensive end and even in the traditional edge rusher role on occasion, but he primarily lined up in the B-gap and spent 240 snaps as a nose tackle.

While he did not receive a combine invite, Johnson measured in at his pro-day at 6’4” – 299 pounds and posted an elite RAS of 9.15, including a 4.88-second 40-yard dash and a 3-cone or 7.33-seconds, along with an elite vertical and broad jump.

Johnson was also a Senior Bowl invitee, where Dane Brugler of The Athletic would mention that he was one of the winners that week in Mobile.

As Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network wrote, Johnson entered the 2021 season as a likely street free agent signing following the 2022 draft. But after the season he had, along with his performance at the Senior Bowl and his pro-day, Johnson is flying up draft boards and could be selected mid-Day 3.