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Scarlet Sunrise: Paris Johnson Jr. switching back to position where he finished Ohio State career

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•05/23/24•

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Paris Johnson Jr. by Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Current Arizona Cardinals, and former Ohio State, offensive tackle Paris Johnson lines up against the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2023 season. (Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)

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Paris Johnson Jr. switching back to position where he finished Ohio State career

Entering his second season with the Arizona Cardinals, Paris Johnson Jr. is switching back to the position where he finished his Ohio State career: left tackle.

Johnson started all 17 games at right tackle as a rookie after the Cardinals selected him No. 6 overall in last year’s NFL Draft. But Arizona moved on from longtime left tackle D.J. Humphries earlier this offseason, and this week head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Johnson is now on the left side.

For now, at least.

“We’ll see how that looks,” said Gannon, who also noted former Cincinnati Bengals tackle Jonah Williams will line up on the right side to start.

Gannon, though, mentioned that he can change his mind, and ultimately has final say, if he wants to go back on that change.

Johnson began his Cardinals career with an open mind after playing on both sides of the offensive line, as well as both guard and tackle, during his three-year Ohio State career.

“I’m not a guy who says I can only play this or play that,” Johnson Jr. said in the aftermath of the 2023 season, via AZCardinals.com. “This offseason I am going to continue to train for both sides just to be ready. When my number is called, if it is called to go left, I’ll definitely be ready.”

Johnson allowed 42 pressures and eight sacks in 17 games last year, according to Pro Football Focus. But he helped pave the way for a Cardinals rushing attack that ranked fourth in the NFL in yards (2,365) and second in the league in yards per carry (5.0).

While at Ohio State, Johnson started full seasons at left tackle (2022) and right guard (2021), in addition to scattering 26 offensive snaps at left guard (12), right guard (7) and right tackle (7) as a first-year player (2020).

He didn’t allow a sack his first 11 starts at left tackle and rounded out his 13-game slate with just two sacks and 14 pressures given up, per PFF.

Naming elite trait for each Buckeyes quarterback

“Quarterbacks Week” is chugging along at Lettermen Row, and we decided to pinpoint an elite trait for each Ohio State scholarship quarterback.

After all, when evaluating the Buckeyes’ QB room over the years, head coach Ryan Day has searched for extraordinary traits exhibited by his signal callers.

Every quarterback has different strong suits. We highlighted those in this exercise. Check it out here.

RELATED

Most difficult Ohio State passing records to break

Ohio State quarterbacks have rewritten the program record book since head coach Ryan Day arrived as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2017.

Lettermen Row rounded up the Buckeyes passing records that will prove most difficult to break going forward — some single-game marks, other single-season milestones and even a few career numbers.

Spoiler: Strap in for lots of Dwayne Haskins and C.J. Stroud rewinds.

For that trip down memory lane, go here.

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 100 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 191 days

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