Anthony Johnson Jr. NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Iowa State S

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 205

HAND: 8¾"

ARM: 31¼"

WINGSPAN: 75⅞"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.54

3-CONE: 7.07

SHUTTLE: 4.31

VERTICAL: 37.5"

BROAD: 10'5"

---

POSITIVES

— Versatile defender with experience at both corner and safety.

— Violent player with very good physicality as a run defender.

— Good ball skills from days as a corner. Impressive ability to elevate and make plays on the ball.

---

NEGATIVES

— Relatively new to the safety position. He still has to learn the nuances of the position.

—Overly aggressive at times, both in coverage and run defense.

—Average athletic ability. Tightness can show up at times.

---

2022 STATISTICS

— 12 Games, 60 TKL, 2 INT, 4 PBU, 1 FF

---

NOTES

DOB: 12/02/1999

54 Starts

2022: Second-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (2019, 2020, 2021)

---

OVERALL

After spending his first four years at corner, Johnson moved to safety for the 2022 season, finishing his Iowa State career with 54 starts, both a Big 12 and school record. While there were certainly some growing pains at the position, Johnson flashed potential and some very intriguing traits that can cross over to the NFL game.

Johnson is a very physical safety who is fearless in his run defense. That often gets him in trouble, as his violent approach creates poor angles and missed tackles. Johnson shows a good downhill burst and invites the physical aspect of the run game. If he can learn to tame his violence and play within himself a tad more, Johnson can provide high-quality run defense.

Johnson's youth at the safety position was quite apparent in coverage. While he's not the fastest player, Johnson's long strides allow him to cover ground quickly, and he possesses a very impressive ability to elevate and make difficult plays on the ball.

His experience at corner has led him to be overaggressive at times, compromising his position to make a play on the ball. When disciplined, Johnson can provide quality coverage over the top and will strengthen his abilities with more experience at the position.

Overall, Johnson is a developmental player at the next level with some intriguing traits. His violence in run defense is a double-edged sword that could prove valuable if he learns to control it. As he refines his angles and game as a whole, Johnson will bring valuable experience at both corner and safety to an NFL roster.

---

GRADE: 5.5 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)

OVERALL RANK: 258

POSITION RANK: S22

PRO COMPARISON: Bryan Mills

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings