TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston set to declare for 2023 NFL Draft

The TCU Horned Frogs are battling the Michigan Wolverines in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in what has been one of the wildest and wackiest college football games of the 2022-2023 season. With just over 8:00 remaining in the third quarter, ESPN play-by-play man Sean McDonough let fans know that Horned Frogs’ star receiver Quentin Johnston told them that he will soon enter the 2023 NFL Draft, even though he has not officially announced yet. TCU quarterback Max Duggan fired a pass to Johnston, and the ball went off his hands and out of bounds. Which prompted the broadcasters to discuss how much of a special talent Johnston is.

“He could not make the catch. Top-rated receiver. First round-pick. Todd McShay’s best receiver in the next draft. He will be in the draft. He told us yesterday he hadn’t declared yet, but will,” McDonough said on the ESPN broadcast.

Blessed with a tremendous combination of size and speed, Johnston stands at 6-foot-4, 215-pounds and runs a 4.4 40-yard dash. He torched the Michigan secondary on Saturday night in propelling his team to a 51-45 win in the Fiesta Bowl. Johnson hauled in six catches for 163 receiving yards and a touchdown. His pivotal 76-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter gave the Horned Frogs a 48-38 lead with 13:01 remaining in the game.

Check it out below.

QUENTIN JOHNSON BREAKS FREE FOR 76 YARDS AND A TCU TOUCHDOWN! #GoFrogs #CFBPlayoff

pic.twitter.com/6rj2Pqp0sm

— The College Football & Basketball Experience (@TCEonSGPN) January 1, 2023

Johnston established himself as one of the most dominant receivers in college football this season for the Horned Frogs, hauling in 53 catches for 903 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the regular season. He’s delivered time and time again when his team has needed him the most. He’s also performed at an elite level against elite opponents, which is exactly why he’ll be one of the most coveted receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Check out his stats below from On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Quentin Johnston in TCU’s last six games against ranked opponents:

— 40 catches
— 825 yards
— Five touchdowns

In TCU’s three games against top-10 opponents:

— 17 catches
— 479 yards
— Two touchdowns

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 1, 2023

It should be exciting to watch him on the next level. But first, we’ll get to watch him face off against the winner of the Georgia and Ohio State matchup in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.