Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson Could Be Major Steal in 2015 Draft

What a time to be an NFL cornerback. Just on the eve of free agency, cornerbacks Byron Maxwell and Kareem Jackson have already hit it rich. Maxwell has reportedly been offered a $63 million contract by the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jackson is re-signing with Houston for $34 million.

Cornerback is absolutely a premium position in the NFL; along with quarterback, pass-rusher and offensive tackle. Teams will be prioritizing quality cornerbacks in the draft to stay young, cheap and talented at the position.

Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson is one of the top secondary prospects in the 2015 draft class, but he could prove to be a steal nonetheless.

Johnson currently ranks as the second-best cornerback in the draft by CBSSports.com. He’s projected as a fringe first-round prospect. After digging into his film, there is little doubt that he deserves to be considered a first-round lock.

To be a successful cornerback in the NFL, the physical capabilities of the player are important, but they are secondary to the mental aspect. Often times, the 40-yard dash champions fail to make an impact in the NFL despite their immense straight-line speed. Of the eight fastest cornerbacks since 2000 at the NFL combine, only Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Johnathan Joseph have had solid careers.

More important than straight-line speed is an unquantifiable trait. Ball awareness is paramount but is not always rewarded with an interception or deflection. There isn’t really one measurement that projects best to the NFL because cornerbacks must be instinctive, quick, smart and technically sound.

That’s the checklist for many of the great cornerbacks in the NFL. Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman, Brent Grimes, Chris Harris Jr., among some others, each excel in those areas. The next tier of cornerbacks feature at least two or three of those skills, but consistency in technique is often a differentiator.

Evaluating Kevin Johnson is a treat because he often shows at least three of the four main traits. The 6’0”, 188-pound cornerback has many ideal measureables, including 31” arms, elite leaping ability and a short shuttle time. His playing weight of just 173 pounds during the season was evident at times, but he added 15 pounds by the combine. Combined with his instincts, he has the talent of a future starting cornerback in the NFL.

The most obvious place to start with Johnson is his pure coverage ability. Whether or not he can run downfield with a receiver and competently challenge the catch process is the most important thing. Far too many cornerbacks, even at the NFL level, get too grabby and desperate in coverage, but not Johnson, as can be seen below.

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Johnson does grab a little on the shoulder pad of Rashad Greene, but it is subtle enough to avoid a penalty. Most importantly, Johnson looks back for the ball at the goal line, which ensures that a flag doesn’t come. Establishing intent to play the ball is critical.

There are also some great indicators of how well Johnson will translate into the NFL early in the play. Off the line of scrimmage, we can see Johnson mirroring Greene perfectly. He doesn’t overcommit on Greene’s first step, which is important to protect against inside routes. Johnson stays balanced and bouncy, and he stays within a step of Greene throughout the route.

When asked to play off the ball and read plays, Johnson shined as an instinctive and confident player. Receivers have a major advantage when the cornerback is playing six or more yards off the ball, since inside routes and comebacks are easier to catch. Unless the cornerback reads the play perfectly, it is almost impossible to get to the ball before the receiver hauls it in.

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Above is an example of what can be seen throughout Johnson’s 2013 and 2014 film. He doesn’t always win in these situations, but even the best in the NFL don’t win on every target or snap. Again, playing this far off the line is not an advantageous situation.

Still, we see the quick feet of Johnson and smooth trigger from backpedal to his explosive step downhill. His ability to sink his hips and get back to the ball in a hurry is critical. The physicality at the catch point then forces the incompletion.

Intelligence is another massively important trait. Baiting a quarterback into a throw that is more difficult or dangerous is a masterful play, and Johnson has again exhibited the ability to do just that. Look below for the evidence.

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Starting off his man, Johnson reads quarterback Jameis Winston’s eyes and the routes of the slot and boundary receivers. He notices Winston going right to left with his eyes and the slot receiver going past him. With his man stopped underneath, he correctly deduces that the slot man will break behind him on a post-corner route.

If Johnson commits to the underneath route too soon, Winston has an easier throw to the slot receiver over the top—he wouldn’t need to fit the ball into such a tight spot using touch since there would be more room for error. Instead, Johnson waits back as if he’s going to drop with the slot receiver, and Winston tries to thread the perfect pass.

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As mentioned before, Johnson played at a paltry 173 pounds during the season. There were times that this was obvious. He wasn’t very good at shedding blocks or overcoming big receivers who boxed him out.

But Johnson still had a physical mindset. He’s a tough-nosed player who needed to bulk up. He did so, and he still may have room for a little bit more weight. The most important part of his weight gain is that his athleticism at the combine was still very good overall after the added size.

Considering his movement skills and advanced instincts for the position, Kevin Johnson will prove to be a first-round value no matter his draft slot. Teams that need secondary help that overlook the former Demon Deacon will look foolish a year from now, as Johnson has all of the talent to become a solid starter in the NFL.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, contributor for Optimum Scouting and analyst for eDraft. 

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