Will The Kansas City Chiefs Draft A Cornerback In The First Round?
Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Kevin Johnson catches a pass in a work out drill during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Johnson – Wake Forest – 6’0″ 188 lbs
4.52 forty, DNP bench press, 41.5″ vertical, 3.89 20 yard shuttle
Kevin Johnson is a prospect that is flying a little bit under the radar when compared to the first three prospects. Waynes is the top CB prospect, Collins is raw with upside, Peters is talented but troubled, and then there is Kevin Johnson the less talked about CB from Wake Forest. The thing is, while he may not get the attention of the other three, he may be just as good.
What Others Are Saying:
"Johnson is a fluid athlete with the change of direction and acceleration to excel in man coverage. He possesses the awareness and closing speed to handle zone, as well, but he isn’t a big hitter. Johnson’s lanky frame is a bit of a concern, especially given that he’s already worked hard to maximize it."
"Johnson is a three-year starting cornerback who showed great improvement in man coverage from 2013 to 2014. While he lacks desired weight at the position, his cover skills, athleticism and competitiveness give him a shot to come in and start right away."
What I Saw On Tape:
I watched Johnson against Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Florida State. I can summarize Johnson’s play in pretty basic terms. He’s pretty equitable to Waynes and Peters in coverage ability, but plays “smaller”. In other words, he’s not as physical in run support and even though his size isn’t much different his play makes you wonder if he can handle the outside duties when having to face the bigger NFL WRs.
Don’t get me wrong, he has the speed and coverage skills to handle the outside, but of the CBs I’ve watched he’s the one I would guess could be manhandled by the Calvin Johnsons and Vincent Jacksons of the NFL. I do think he might make an amazing nickel back going up against slot WRs and while there is definitely value in that it seems like NFL GMs still value the outside “shutdown” CBs more.
Next: Click Here For A Personal Favorite Of Mine