Quentin Johnston jumped high into the air, making a twisting catch from Justin Herbert near the end zone while a Broncos defender was draped all over him.

The Chargers wide receiver, down just three yards from the goal line, then got up and walked into the end zone, pointing and yelling at Chargers fans nearby at SoFi Stadium.

Johnston couldn't help it as the emotion poured out of him after perhaps the best catch of his NFL career.

"Just regular scramble drill rules so as soon as the quarterback breaks out, you want to be the first one to react to it before," Johnston told Chargers.com. "Justin is just trusting me enough to throw the ball up, so I had no choice but to come down and make the play."

And his reaction after the fact?

"Honestly, that's just coming from the confidence in myself," Johnston said. "I don't want to say comfortable but I'm feeling good where I'm at as a player. Right there, that was just pure excitement.

"I feel like that was just me letting everybody know the work and stuff I've put in. Maybe they couldn't actually hear me," Johnston added with a smile. "But just showing that excitement and that passion for the game."

In a recent 1-on-1 interview at his locker, Johnston also agreed with the notion that the second quarter catch in Week 3 was the best of his career to date.

"That one right there? Yeah, for sure," Johnston said.

But the fact is that highlight-reel plays are becoming routine for Johnston, a 2023 first-round pick who endured ups and downs early in his career.

Instead of wilting from outside criticism, however, Johnston faced it head on and forged through the only way he knew how — with hard work and dedication.

Now, as the Chargers get ready to host the Commanders in Week 5, Johnston has turned into one of the NFL's best and most consistent receivers.

Entering Sunday, Johnston ranks third in the NFL with 337 receiving yards and is tied for third with four touchdown catches.

His 22 receptions are tied for 11th overall with the likes of Justin Jefferson and Deebo Samuel.

And it's not just like Johnston's early-season stats have been built off one spectacular game.

Johnston recently joined Hall of Famer Antonio Gates as the only Chargers players with 70-plus receiving yards in the first four games of a season.

Chargers wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal has had a front-row seat to Johnston's evolution.

"Very proud of him. He's taken his own career by the hands. He's been super intentional. You can see him working off to the side, perfecting his footwork," Lal said. "Prior to the game, he gets out there really early and kind of goes through the mental steps of all his routes. You can see him walking them on the field.

"Anything I ever suggest, 'Hey, we should do this drill to perfect this,' … he's all in. And if I don't bring it up, he'll ask for it," Lal added. "So, I would say I'm just as proud of him as how he conducts himself as what he's done on the field because that's what's really led to it. He's become very, very professional and he should be proud of himself."

Sitting in his office at The Bolt, Lal later added that there hasn't been some magic formula that the two have concocted in recent years.

Johnston, Lal said, was a first-round pick for a reason, even if the Chargers current front office and coaching staff weren't around back in 2023.

Yet even though Johnston admittedly struggled with drops at time in his first two seasons of his career, he's blossomed into an all-around receiver that defenses have to be aware of each and every play.

"It's real confidence born of that he's a really good player and it's showing itself," Lal said. "It's not like we've kind of manufactured this confidence. No, he's really good. He's got the skillset that a lot of people don't have.

"He's a tall receiver that's super twitchy. He can gallop, basically," Lal added. "It's really impressive and just his preparation has allowed him to showcase those skills and I think that's where the confidence has come from because he's like, 'Yeah, this is me.'"

With all of his recent success — Johnston also led the Chargers with eight touchdown catches in 2024 — surely Johnston is ready to throw some shade back at his previous doubters, right?

Nope.

Instead, Johnston said he's simply used everything over the past two-plus season to fuel him.

"A lot of experience. Me going through a lot of ups and downs," Johnston said. "I feel like that kind of shaped the player I am right now, just learning from past mistakes while at the same time building on past successes."

Johnston's excellent start through the first four games of the 2025 aren't a surprise to those who have seen his work ethic up close.

Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has raved about Johnston's demeanor and approach since he arrived in South California.

"You know, whatever it was, it just seemed like in somebody's mind he's been a disappointment. He hasn't been at all in my eyes," Harbaugh said during training camp in 2024. "I've been nothing but happy with Quentin Johnston."

Harbaugh was asked last week why he continually pumped up Johnston in press conferences. It had to be a motivating factor, right?

"I was just being honest," a serious Harbaugh said.

Herbert, who has developed a strong rapport with Johnston on and off the field, said in July that Johnston has turned into a multi-faceted weapon for the Chargers passing attack.

"He's added so much to his game. He's just so talented and so gifted and he's worked incredibly hard and picked up everything," Herbert said. "And it's not just a deep threat or yards after the catch, he's a guy that can do everything."

Johnston's breakout season has coincided with Keenan Allen turning back the clock at age 33 and Ladd McConkey still being one of the league's best route runners.

But don't expect Johnston to start clamoring for the ball from Herbert. He actually noted the three-pronged attack of himself, Allen and McConkey allows each of them to feast and produce given the situation and opponent.

"Keenan, we already know what kind of player he is because he's been in the league for 13 years. Just the threat he poses alone, just how quick he is off the line, his decision making and then him finding a way to get open on almost every third down, he's timeless," Johnston said. "And Ladd, you saw what he did last year coming in as a rookie. Just a really explosive guy, a real technician with his route running.

"But I feel like I'm a good compliment to those guys right now kind by maybe being the take off the top guy and just running fast and making a lot of fast decisions," Johnston continued. "At the end of the day, with us three we're opening up spaces for each other. So, if I'm not open then Ladd or Keenan is open and vice versa."

He later added: "It's kind of almost calming being there in the huddle and looking to my left and right and seeing those guys. Then having a guy like Justin, a quarterback that can put the ball anywhere on the field, it just makes it exciting for us."

We're only four games into the 2025 season.

But if Johnston keeps this up, it's a good bet that Pro Bowl accolades could come his way by the end of the season.

"He's having fun," Herbert said. "And he's always dangerous when he's having fun."