Chicago Bears’ rookie Roschon Johnson has a crazy similarity to Derrick Henry

In the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears took running back Roschon Johnson out of Texas, and since the pick, fans have been elated with the possibilities going forward.

Chicago didn’t necessarily need a running back. However, the value at that point was just too good. Poles stacked his running back depth by drafting the quarterback-converted-running back, Johnson, giving this Bears offense a completely different element.

One thing fans loved and appreciated about David Montgomery during his time in Chicago was his ability to keep his feet moving and being one of the tougher guys to bring down in this league. Johnson, like Montgomery, has that same characteristic.

However, Johnson takes it to another level. In fact, watching a bunch of Johnson’s film, it’s incredibly difficult not to make a comparison between he and Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.

Chicago Bears rookie running back Roschon Johnson has a vicious stiff arm, reminiscent of Derrick Henry

If you go watch a few minutes of Johnson’s tape, you’ll see a handful of runs where he throws some vicious stiff arms. His running style is patient, but violent at the same time. He’ll wait for his blocks and find the correct hole to hit, but when he does, he turns it up to that next gear in a hurry.

Before you know it, Johnson has a full head of steam, and he’s not a kind body to try and tackle at six feet, 220 pounds. While Henry is a little heavier, Johnson still possesses a big, muscular frame that is as thick within his base as it is across his shoulders.

Everybody loves looking for “the next (insert player name),” and it’s been especially popular to try and find someone like Aaron Donald over the last couple of years, come draft time. Now, I’m not saying Johnson is the next Derrick Henry, because that’s a heck of a comparison overall.

But, Johnson’s run style, physicality and that brutal stiff arm certainly looks a lot like the former All Pro running back out there in Tennessee.

Could Johnson end up supplanting both Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman as the Bears’ starting running back? It’s very possible, especially with the way he runs the football. It’s not hard to believe Johnson could make that happen, so long as the Bears’ offensive line steps up their game in 2023.