The Raiders have spent all season living with uncertainty at guard, and that makes Minnesota’s Greg Johnson look like the kind of prospect John Spytek ought to have circled early.
Las Vegas still has plenty of football left to play and isn’t out of the playoff race, but the offensive interior has been a problem for a while. Dylan Parham was the closest thing the Raiders had to a steady, high-level guard, and even he was inconsistent. This season has only sharpened the concern, with questions at left guard and a rotating cast on the right.
The team doesn’t appear locked in on Jackson Powers-Johnson or Caleb Rogers at right guard. Spencer Burford has been underwhelming on the left side. Trey Zuhn III looked good in his first start last Sunday, but it’s still unclear whether he can develop into a high-end full-time starter.
That’s why Johnson makes so much sense, even if taking a guard on Day 1 of the 2027 NFL Draft won’t exactly light up the fan base. If he’s on the board, the Raiders will have to think hard about it.
At 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, Johnson checks just about every box a team could want from an interior lineman. He’s a guard by trade, but Minnesota has used him at both tackle spots and at center, and he’s handled all of it without much trouble. Around No. 15 on consensus big boards right now, he could very much be in range for Las Vegas.
What stands out is how complete he looks. He’s versatile, which fits what Spytek and Klint Kubiak tend to value, but he’s also a bruising, powerful blocker who moves well in space. He plays with a high motor, keeps his pads low, and looks like a lineman who is always hunting for work.
That kind of profile, paired with three years as a starter, is the sort of thing that can push a player into Round 1 territory. Johnson also brings a sturdy anchor in pass protection and does real work in the run game, especially on combo blocks and when climbing to the second level to meet linebackers and defensive backs.
The numbers back up the eye test. Through Minnesota’s first nine games of what is likely his final college season, Johnson has allowed zero sacks, zero quarterback hits and only four hurries on 325 pass-blocking snaps. Two of those hurries came in non-true pass sets, which means he has been nearly impossible to move.
And he’s done it while shifting back to center after opening the season at left guard for three weeks before Minnesota’s starting center went down for the year. Last season, when he played only left guard, Johnson gave up just three sacks, four hits and three hurries.
Two of those sacks and one of those hurries came in a bowl game against New Mexico, but that looks more like an outlier than a pattern. Over the last two seasons, Johnson has had only three games in which he allowed more than one pressure.
He can help in both gap and zone schemes, too. Johnson is strong enough to move defenders and pull, but he also has the lateral movement to reach his assignment in zone concepts and then work up to the next level. Minnesota is averaging 6.0 yards per carry in 2026 when running off him at center, and he’s doing it in a near split of zone and gap looks.
Spytek has also shown a comfort with Big Ten players, and he has already taken swings at Minnesota with Cody Lindenberg and highly-paid 2025 UDFA Jah Joyner. So while Johnson may not bring the same juice as a receiver or defensive tackle, he could solve a major problem for the Raiders on opening night of the draft.
Still, he isn’t spotless.
Johnson’s ability to play multiple spots is a strength, but it also raises the question of where he fits best in the NFL. That kind of flexibility is great for a backup, but Round 1 teams need a clear plan for a player they expect to start.
He moves well, but his recovery athleticism is only average when he gets beaten. When he loses a rep, it often comes back to a lower half that isn’t quite as strong as his upper body, which can leave him leaning too much on his arms and torso.
Penalties are another thing to watch. Johnson has been flagged 16 times in his college career, including four already as a senior. He had seven in 2024, improved to four in 2025, and has taken a step backward early in 2026.
No prospect is perfect, but Johnson looks like the kind of player who could be an excellent fit for a Raiders team trying to finally settle its guard situation. The rest of his season, along with his testing and pre-draft process, will tell the rest of the story.
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