Overnight success: Chad Johnson's emergence as one of the game's elite receivers wasn't really all that sudden. It was the result of a work ethic that drives him to study deep into the night and often to sleep at the Bengals' facility

Sporting News, The, Oct 4, 2004 by Dennis Dillon

"I think he walked away from there understanding he's one of the best receivers in the game," says Sanders.

So, who is the best receiver in the NFL? You could make strong cases for Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens. Torry Holt and Johnson also would be on most top-five lists. But Johnson believes they're all perched on the same plateau, with Rice still above them.

"We're all in the same bubble," Johnson says, leaning against a chair in the players' lounge Thursday night. "One might have more touchdowns, one might, have more catches, one might have more yards. But you can't put us in Rice's category. Until someone reaches and does what he's done continuously for what, 20 years? ... I don't want to be in front of Marvin. I don't want to be in front of T.O. I want to he out there somewhere where nobody has reached. Do something out of the ordinary. Then you can say you're the best.

"It's not going to happen overnight. It's not going to happen by accident. By putting the work in, it's going to show up on Sunday."

That's why on Wednesdays and Thursdays Johnson stays late at the stadium, studying tape upstairs and sleeping down here--even if he occasionally must remake his bed.

Second-round steal

If NFL teams knew then what they know now, Chad Johnson
would have been selected higher than 36th in the 2001
draft. Comparing Johnson with the seven wideouts drafted
ahead of him that year, as judged by career statistics
through Week 3:

No. *   Player, Team                       G    GS   Rec.

  8.    David Terrell,Bears                40   17    93
  9.    Koren Robinson, Seahawks           50   47   190
 15.    Rod Gardner, Redskins ([dagger])   50   49   183
 16.    Santana Moss, Jets                 38   15   114
 25.    Freddie Mitchell, Eagles           50   11    73
 30.    Reggie Wayne, Colts                48   35   163
 33.    Quincy Morgan, Browns              51   44   129
 36.    Chad Johnson, Bengals              47   34   203

No. *   Player, Team                       Yds.    Avg.   TDs

 8.     David Terrell,Bears                1,054   11.3     8
 9.     Koren Robinson, Seahawks           2,785   14.7    11
 15.    Rod Gardner, Redskins ([dagger])   2,474   13.5    17
 16.    Santana Moss, Jets                 1,730   15.2    14
 25.    Freddie Mitchell, Eagles           993     13.6     3
 30.    Reggie Wayne, Colts                2,244   13.8    13
 33.    Quincy Morgan, Browns              2,013   15.6    14
 36.    Chad Johnson, Bengals              3,102   15.3    17

* Overall draft selection

([dagger]) Gardner's numbers do not include Washington's
Monday night game against Dallas.

RELATED ARTICLE: Scout's view of Johnson.

An NFL pro scout breaks down Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson:

Hands. Has big, soft hands. Catches the ball away from his body. Can make acrobatic, one-handed catches downfield.

Release. Has excellent hand quickness. Is very hard to press because he's such a strong, physical player. Has an excellent arm-over swim move to get on top of a corner.