Chris Johnson Scouting Report

Chris Johnson has a good combination of quick feet, IQ, and versatility that projects him to be a day-one starter for an NFL defense.

Draft Grade: Round 2 - Winning Starter

Strengths:

Man-to-Man: Johnson appears to be a technically sound corner in man-to-man situations, showing the ability to play both press and off-man coverage with comfort. He understands keys and indicators; on most reps, he is on an island, staying in phase with receivers and in their hip pocket, which gives him constant opportunities to make plays on the football.

Footwork/Fluid Movements: Johnson has fluid lower-body movements that start with his footwork. He possesses a quick, fluid backpedal and understands how to work leverages to prevent the receiver from stemming him. Johnson also understands when to run and flip his hips, which he does in a quick, smooth transition. This allows him to accelerate quickly on vertical routes and stay in phase.

Versatility: Due to Johnson's overall IQ and athleticism, he has the ability to play in both man and zone schemes, as well as press or off coverage. His collegiate resume shows a proven, scheme-versatile player who should seamlessly fit into most NFL defenses and be an immediate starter.

Concerns:

Length: Johnson lacks ideal length on the outside, which could become an issue against larger-bodied receivers. Receivers with significant overall profiles could potentially utilize their size and wingspan to shield Johnson, preventing him from making a play on the football. These physical matchups may lead NFL teams to consider moving Johnson into a nickel role more frequently during his career to maximize his agility against smaller targets.

Giving Up Explosive Plays: Johnson appears to prefer playing in a trail technique, which allows him to undercut passes and make aggressive plays on the ball. However, this strategy can be a liability against receivers with elite vertical speed. Instead of stopping to make a cut, these speedsters can simply continue to push vertically; if Johnson is playing from behind, it creates windows for explosive plays and significant separation that is difficult to recover from.