One opportunity can change everything. As Green Bay Packers undrafted rookie Amar Johnson broke a tackle and accelerated toward the end zone on a 39-yard touchdown run, it was hard not to think of Aaron Jones.
Johnson delivered one of the few highlight-reel moments for the Packers in a dismal evening under the Lambeau Field lights. His standout performance showed off some parallels between his game and that of the former Packers Pro Bowler as he turned seven carries into 67 yards and a touchdown.
Vision. Acceleration. Speed. Balance. Home-run ability. Sound familiar?
It's only the preseason, a time of year known for overreactions, but Johnson looked the part and deserves more opportunities.
Amar Johnson intensifies Aaron Jones comparisons after impressive Packers preseason debut
It's not the first time Johnson has drawn comparisons to Jones. Even after watching his college tape, it was easy to see the similarities in play style.
"Johnson has a little Aaron Jones to his game," Zach Kruse of Packers Wire wrote in May. "Low center of gravity, good contact balance, burst to the perimeter, certainly some shake to avoid tacklers."
All of that was on full display during his 39-yard touchdown run against the New York Jets on Saturday evening.
It was Green Bay's longest carry since, you guessed it, Jones rushed for 53 yards in the playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers two years ago.
Johnson and Jones aren't far apart in Relative Athletic Score. Johnson is 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, while Jones is 5-foot-9, 208 pounds. They posted the exact same 10-yard split time (1.51 seconds), while Johnson has the slight edge in 20-yard split (2.54 to 2.57).
The Packers' undrafted rookie wins in the 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds to 4.49), but Jones tested better in the agility drills, including the shuttle and three-cone.
Johnson may follow a similar path in the Packers' backfield. Jones entered his rookie season as the No. 3 running back behind Ty Montgomery and Jamaal Williams, seemingly with little shot to play meaningful snaps as a Day 3 rookie. But he got his opportunity following injuries to the top two backs, and the rest was history.
That's not to say Johnson will become a Pro Bowler and lead the backfield any time soon, but, like Jones, he maximized his opportunities, rushing for 67 yards and a score on seven touches. He also had carries of 12 and 10 yards called back due to penalties.
Perhaps the coolest part is that Johnson desperately wanted to end up in Green Bay during NFL Draft weekend, and he got his wish.
"So, the whole draft, I was like, 'Please don't draft a running back,' because they were telling me they wanted me before the draft," Johnson told Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated in May. "So, that was big, and I was just so happy to make it official finally and just hoped nobody else drafted me."
On Saturday, he played with the urgency of a player desperate to make a statement.
Head coach Matt LaFleur said it will lead to more opportunities in the weeks ahead. The door is open for an increase in snaps while MarShawn Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson recover from injuries.
Johnson showed a glimpse of his potential in the preseason opener, and he only intensified the Jones comparisons.