Quentin Johnston's mood shifted quickly when the questions in his Combine interview shifted from TCU's 65-7 loss to Georgia in the NCAA championship game to the 51-45 win over Michigan in the semifinal game.
"Michigan?" he said, his face lighting up in a big smile. "I can talk about Michigan."
Johnston did not duck any questions about the loss to Georgia, or about his receiving style when he gets to the NFL as a likely first-round pick.
"I feel like mentally as a team we weren't all the way there," he said. "We weren't ready for the stage – that matchup at that time.
"They showed up, and we didn't."
The 2023 draft class lacks the stars of some previous years. That doesn't mean there won't be a gem in the fourth round like when Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes drafted Amon-Ra St. Brown in the fourth round in 2021.
He had 90 catches as a rookie and 106 his second year with a trip to the Pro Bowl.
At 6-3 and 208 pounds, Johnston used his size to be a big-play threat at TCU where he averaged 19 yards on 115 receptions for his three-year career.
His combination of agility and size made him a threat in college. He wants to improve on that in the NFL.
"I feel like that's something I want to work on," he said. "Play like I'm 5-foot-10."
View photos of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Southern California wide receiver Jordan Addison runs a play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona State Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Southern California wide receiver Jordan Addison runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) celebrates a touchdown against Texas with wide receiver Taye Barber (4) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
TCU football wide receiver Quentin Johnston catches a pass during NFL Pro Day, Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State football wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba runs a drill at the school's NFL Pro Day in Columbus, Ohio, Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs runs with the ball in the first half during the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game against Clemson on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (11) catches a touchdown pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Boston College's Zay Flowers scores a touchdown against Duke during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
Boston College Eagles wide receiver Zay Flowers during a football drill at an NFL Pro Day, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott (21) in action during an NCAA college football game against Temple, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)
Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Following is a preview of the 2023 wide receiver draft strength, the Lions' depth and draft priority at the position, and five prospects who could interest the Lions.
Wide receiver draft strength: Not as strong or deep with quality prospects as in recent seasons.
Lions' depth, draft priority: Bringing back veteran Marvin Jones Jr. took away some pressure to draft a receiver early, but the Lions are likely to add depth via the draft.
Five prospects who could interest the Lions:
(40-yard dash times are from Combine and Pro Day workouts as available.)
1. Jordan Addison, Southern Cal:
5-11, 173. 4.49 40.
In 2022 after transferring from Pittsburgh, Addison caught 59 passes for 875 yards, eight TDs and an average of 14.8 yards per catch. That was far below what he produced in two seasons at Pitt: 60 catches, 666 yards and four TDs in 2020; 100 catches, 1,599 yards and 17 TDs in 2021.
Bottom line: Addison won the 2021 Biletnikoff Award as the country's top wide receiver.
2. Quentin Johnston, TCU:
6-3, 208.
A big-play producer for the Horned Frogs from the start of his three seasons. Averaged 19.0 yards per catch on his 115 career catches.
Bottom line: Johnston was a consistent big-play producer. From 2020 to 2021, Johnson had averages of 22.1, 19.2 and 17.8 yards per catch.
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State:
6-1, 196.
A three-year player with 23 games played, but only three games in 2022 because of injury. With only 10 catches in his first season and five in his third, he showed his worth in Year 2 – 12 games played, 95 catches, 1,606 yards and nine TDs.
Bottom line: Smith-Njigba is another in a long line of elite Ohio State wide receivers who get drafted every year like sports cars rolling off an assembly line. They arrive in the NFL highly tuned and ready to roll.
View photos of NFL prospect Quentin Johnston.
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) runs a route against Kansas cornerback Ra'Mello Dotson (3) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston lines up during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tarleton State in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) dodges the tackle by Kansas safety Kenny Logan Jr. (1) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) carries the ball on a touchdown run against Kansas State During an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) celebrates a touchdown against Texas with wide receiver Taye Barber (4) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) is defended by West Virginia cornerback Charles Woods (9) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Morgantown, W.Va., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Kathleen Batten)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) is seen during an NCAA football game against Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas. TCU won 55-24. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) catches the game-winning touchdown under pressure from Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) in the second half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) is seen during an NCAA football game against Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas. TCU won 43-40 in double overtime. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) runs with the ball in front of Oklahoma State linebacker Mason Cobb (0) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) runs a route against Texas during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) runs past Texas linebacker Jett Bush (43) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) celebrates a catch for a first down in the second half of the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game against Kansas State, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) and running back Kendre Miller (33) celebrate the team's win over Texas in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
4. Josh Downs, North Carolina:
5-9, 171. 4.48 40.
A three-year player, with super stats in his last two seasons. After seven catches as a 2020 freshman he exploded – 101 catches for 1,335 yards in 2021 and 94 catches for 1,029 yards in 2022.
Bottom line: Downs gave future opponents a look at what was to come in his freshman season. He had seven catches, but three were for touchdowns, and he had a long reception of 75 yards.
5. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee:
6-0, 176. 4.40 40.
Three-year player whose first two seasons were a brief preview of what was to come in Year 3. Caught 20 passes for 276 yards in 2020 and 21 for 226 in 2021. Exploded in 2022 – 67 catches, 1,267 yards and 15 TDs.
Bottom line: A highly decorated player, 11 receptions in 2022 were of 40 yards or longer.
