Jaguars’ Rookie CJ Henderson and Chad Johnson Take It to the Field
A few weeks ago, retired NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson engaged in entertaining back-and-forths with some of the Jacksonville Jaguars' top draft picks. On Thursday, it appears the back-and-forth finally found its way to a field.
"I want smoke while y’all preparing for the season, don’t be scared I’ll go half-speed," Johnson joked in a tweet aimed at cornerbacks C.J. Henderson, who the Jaguars selected No. 9 overall in last month's draft, and Jeff Okudah, who the Detroit Lions selected No. 3 overall.
"Don't go half speed old man," Henderson replied in jest.
Johnson has finally gotten his wish, at least when it comes to Henderson. Henderson, who the Jaguars drafted out of the University of Florida with the first of their two first-round picks in 2019, matched up with Johnson in release and press drills at the line of scrimmage, with Carolina Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater watching on.
The result of the bout between Henderson and the former Cincinnati Bengal? Well, just look to Johnson's Twitter account for his take on how the practice session went.
"May God be with the Jaguar receivers that have to deal with @HendersonChris_ ," Johnson tweeted. "That [expletive] is nice in bump-n-run, even with the small sample size of work today I now understand why he was taken at 9."
He was the only underclassman to leave Gainesville early this year but did so after finishing his career with 92 tackles (65 solo), seven for loss, six interceptions, 22 pass breakups and four sacks.
At the Combine this February, Henderson tied for second amongst defensive backs in the 40-yard dash with a 4.39 and finished in the Top 10 or Top 5 of every other drill: 20 reps on the bench press, 37.5 inches in the vertical leap, 127 inches in the broad jump.
Next, Johnson could look to take on Jaguars' second-round pick wide receiver Laviska Shenault after sparring with him on Twitter as he did with Henderson.
