Saints Draft Chauncey Gardner-Johnson; Twitter Raves About Late-Round Steal

Florida Gators safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the No. 105 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft during Saturday's fourth round.

He slid to Day 3 of the draft despite being projected as a possible top-50 selection.

Gardner-Johnson lived up to expectations at Florida after arriving in Gainesville as a highly touted 4-star prospect as part of the 2016 recruiting class.

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Saints Rookie

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The 21-year-old Cocoa High School (Florida) product emerged as a starter for the Gators during his freshman campaign and remained a fixture in the team's defensive backfield for each of the past two seasons, though his role changed at times.

Along with safety, Gardner-Johnson also saw playing time as a slot corner, which helped bolster his draft stock. Tyrann Mathieu, who signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent in March, has illustrated the value of versatility throughout his six-year NFL career.

"I'm the most versatile DB in this draft. That's how I feel," Gardner-Johnson told reporters at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine in March.

"It's big because you can put me anywhere. I'm not limited to one position," he added. "I can be used in base, in nickel. In the nickel, I can cover down in the slot, be in against the post, come off the hash and that half of the field. I can do anything coaches put me at no matter where I go."

The Saints obviously hope he develops into a perennial Pro Bowl performer, but it's always important to consider the potential downside. In this case, his versatility limits the bust potential of the pick since he's likely to carve out a niche for himself, even if he doesn't become a top-tier safety.

Gardner-Johnson should make his initial impact as the team's slot corner as a rookie in New Orleans with Marcus Williams and Vonn Bell locked in as the starters at safety.