Giants snag TE Theo Johnson with Waller contemplating retirement

The New York Giants selected Penn State tight end Theo Johnson in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, No. 107 overall.

The Giants needed to bolster the tight end room with the uncertainty surrounding Darren Waller's future. Waller has been undecided on whether he'll continue his NFL career.

Johnson hauled in seven touchdowns and 341 yards in 2023.

Pre-draft profile

If you built a tight end in a lab, you'd get something pretty similar to Johnson. The 23-year-old lit up the combine with a 4.57-second 40-yard dash, a 39.5-inch vertical, and a 10-foot-5 broad jump. His best season with Penn State was a bit underwhelming despite possessing excellent tools, posting 34 receptions for 341 yards and seven touchdowns. Johnson does a good job of using leverage on his routes to create separation at his stems, but he drifts more than necessary when finding holes in zone defenses. The former Nittany Lion's hands and feet are solid as a blocker, but he too frequently bends at the waist, sacrificing leverage and power. Johnson may need a bit of time to refine his game, but he should be a reasonably productive backup as he works to put everything together.