Is Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson a 1st-Round Lock?

Given the needs at the position permeating the first round and the apparent love of his skill set around the league, Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson now looks like a strong bet to crack the first 32 selections in the 2015 NFL draft. 

While Johnson likely won't end up in the top-10 picks Thursday night, a high percentage of the remaining teams in the first round could pull the trigger on a cornerback. The league remains starved at the position, especially with the continued proliferation of the passing game and the increasing volume and talent level of incoming receivers—the cornerback's football nemesis.

Johnson is reportedly popular in NFL circles. 

In fact, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports thinks he could come off the board within the first 16 selections.

"... The gap between Trae Waynes and some other corners isn't all that great to many people I've talked to," La Canfora wrote. "In fact, plenty think Wake Forest's Kevin Johnson might be the best of the bunch. I see him in the top half of the first round as well." 

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk has also heard from several clubs that Johnson is the No. 1 cornerback on their draft board. 

"With the draft four days away, we’re told that multiple teams have Johnson ahead of Waynes," Florio wrote. "If one of those teams ends up on the clock and decides to take a corner, Johnson will go before Waynes."

The leaked information could be nothing more than a smokescreen from teams smitten with Waynes. Or Johnson could be more highly regarded by some teams and not others based upon scheme and traits at the position. Cornerback can often be a team-specific drafting venture, with clubs favoring different things (such as length, press ability, fluidity, etc.). 

Johnson brings a little bit of everything to the next level. 

The Wake Forest star stands 6'0" tall with 31-inch arms, giving him the length many teams now covet in a boundary cornerback. His length is even more impressive when combined with his vertical leap, which measured at 41 ½ inches at the NFL Scouting Combine. Only UConn's Byron Jones (44 ½") had a higher jump among cornerbacks. Overall, only six players at the combine had a better vertical. 

His combination of height and vertical leap provides the necessary ingredients for combating the NFL's bigger—and most dangerous—receivers. 

Johnson also finished among the best cornerbacks in the broad jump (130.0", third), three-cone drill (6.79 seconds, fourth) and 20-yard shuttle (3.89 seconds, second), proving his lower-body explosion and quick feet. 

Rank	Name	School	Vertical
1.	WR Chris Conley	UGA	45.0"
2.	CB Byron Jones	UCONN	44.5"
3.	RB Ameer Abdullah	NEB	42.5"
3.	OLB DAvis Tull	UT-C	42.5"
5.	OLB Bud Dupree	UK	42.0"
5.	WR Jaelen Strong	ASU	42.0"
7.	CB Kevin Johnson	WF	41.5"

Most draft analysts consider him a top-five cornerback in the 2015 class. 

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report ranks Johnson as the fourth-best player at the position, with a "rookie starter" grade and an NFL comparison to Green Bay Packers cornerback Casey Hayward. 

"Johnson has the tools to be a stud zone-coverage cornerback with the hands and technique to make big plays," Miller wrote. "That's exactly who Casey Hayward has become."

Johnson intercepted seven passes and defended 35 others over 46 collegiate games. As a rookie, Hayward started seven games and intercepted six passes. He was drafted No. 62 overall in the 2012 draft. 

ELI LUCERO/Associated Press

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein slots Johnson in as his No. 3 cornerback, trailing only Waynes and LSU's Jalen Collins. 

"Johnson is a three-year starting cornerback who showed great improvement in man coverage from 2013 to 2014," Zierlein wrote in his draft profile. "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."

Zierlein's pro comparison was to another Packers cornerback. While Johnson lacks the blazing straight-line speed, Zierlein sees some Sam Shields to his game—likely as a slender, off-coverage cornerback with starting ability. 

A number of teams picking outside the top 10 could be tempted to pull the trigger on Johnson Thursday night. 

Of the seven mock drafts listed at NFL.com, six have Johnson going in the first round. The Houston Texans (No. 16), Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 22), Arizona Cardinals (No. 24), Baltimore Ravens (No. 26) and Dallas Cowboys (No. 27) are listed as potential landing spots, although a far wider range of teams will likely have interest. 

The Minnesota Vikings (No. 11), New Orleans Saints (No. 13), Miami Dolphins (No. 14), San Francisco 49ers (No. 15), Kansas City Chiefs (No. 18), Philadelphia Eagles (No. 20), Detroit Lions (No. 23), Carolina Panthers (No. 25), Indianapolis Colts (No. 29), Packers (No. 30) and New England Patriots (No. 32) could all be in the market for a cornerback in the first round. 

Given the need, it would not be surprising if five cornerbacks were taken within the first 32 picks. Johnson would almost certainly be included in the group. 

But the likely first-rounder does not come without flaws. 

Both Miller and Zierlein expressed concern with his lanky frame, which is currently supporting only 188 pounds. Johnson likely played at a lower weight during his time at Wake Forest. While cornerback isn't the most physical position on the field, tackling is still required—and Johnson's lack of bulk could be an issue in terms of pressing receivers and meeting players at the catch point. 

He also doesn't have blazing speed. Johnson clocked in at 4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which is far from slow but mostly average for a perimeter cornerback. Recovery speed is an asset, especially for a player who will be on an island at times at the next level. 

Pro Football Focus, which has recently expanded into the draft business, considers Johnson's speed to be an issue. The site listed him in its "Buyer Beware" column for cornerbacks. 

Gordon McGuinness of PFF laid out why:

"

He doesn’t possess great top-level speed on the field. This will lead to him losing plenty of one-on-one battles with NFL receivers and at times it looked like he was deliberately playing off to protect his speed. The need to jump up from there and attack under routes led to him being beaten on double moves on more than one occasion.

"

NFL offenses are far better equipped to exploit such weaknesses. If Johnson is respecting speed too often, pro receivers may eat him alive on short routes and yards after the catch. Underneath routes can set up double moves and vertical concepts, which would then put Johnson's awareness and recovery speed to the test.

Then again, speed is far from a deal-breaker. Plenty of cornerbacks with 4.3 wheels have flopped at the next level. Johnson has the smooth hips, quick feet and rare balance necessary to mask some of the straight-line issues.

A player at the cornerback position can get away with a thin body and average speed if the rest of the package is there. And with Johnson, it looks like it is. 

The question now is how high he's valued in a pass-happy league flooded with talented receivers. The answer will come Thursday, although his talent and the NFL's interest make the projection somewhat easy. 

It appears likely one team in the first 32 picks will take a chance on the steady, athletic cornerback from Wake Forest. Write in Kevin Johnson as a first-round lock. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2