2020 NFL Draft: Does Utah Cornerback Jaylon Johnson Fit With the Jaguars?

As the 2020 offseason progresses, JaguarReport is going to be taking extended looks of some NFL draft prospects who could theoretically make sense for the Jacksonville Jaguars at some point in April.

In this version, we examine Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson, a press oriented cover man who was one of the Pac-12's most productive cornerbacks over the past few seasons. Does his skill set suggest he would be a fit for the Jaguars?

Overview

A former four-star recruit and top high school cornerback, Jaylon Johnson clearly fit in well with Utah's physical and gritty brand of defensive football. Johnson (6-foot-0, 193-pounds) rotated in the secondary as a freshman, recording 25 tackles, one interception, and six pass deflections.

Johnson's production soared as a sophomore and helped him become a first-team all-conference player, with the first-time starter recording 41 tackles, four interceptions, four pass deflections, two tackles for loss, and one sack.

In 2019, the physical corner once again found himself as a first-team all-conference member when he recorded 36 tackles, two interceptions, a career-high 11 tackles for loss, and one tackle for loss.

What Jaylon Johnson does well

The first thing that jumps off about Johnson's game is his sheer size and physicality. He has a long and well-built frame and knows how to use it on the edge, often bullying wide receivers at the line of scrimmage by getting in their frame and throwing off their timing. His punch at the line has a lot of power behind it, enabling him to effectively jolt receivers.

Johnson's physicality makes him a plus defender on the edge vs. the run as well. He is strong at the point of attack and can reset the line of scrimmage on the boundary, forcing ball-carriers to cut plays back inside. He is a willing tackler who closes aggressively on ball carriers and doesn't wait on contact; he is always on the attack instead of being reactive.

In coverage, Johnson's best traits are his ball skills and recognition ability. Whether he has his back to the ball or is driving downhill, Johnson gets his hand on the ball more often times than not when he is targeted without allowing separation. He does a good job of timing his hands to jar the ball loose, and it is clear his hand-eye coordination and instincts are proficient enough for him to capitalize on interception opportunities.

In off coverage, Johnson closes on breaking routes quickly because he has a great understanding of passing concepts and what is unfolding in front of him. His football IQ appears to be off the charts because he rarely makes a mental mistake and is instinctive in both zone and man coverage.

What Jaylon Johnson needs to improve at

While Johnson has all of the traits to be a solid press cornerback, whether in man coverage or in cover 3, there are concerns with his overall ability to stick with receivers at all levels of the field because he isn't the most fluid athlete. There is some definite stiffness when he is forced to turn and run with a receiver, and any vertical releases caused him more fits than one would imagine considering his ability to smother a receiver at the line of scrimmage.

In addition to hip stiffness, Johnson's overall middling explosiveness and agility led to receivers gaining separation on in-breaking routes downfield. He is physical throughout the route, but receivers simply were able to run away from him too often. His feet can get tangled up as he tries to move laterally with a receiver as well, causing some balance issues that could be tied to his high-cut frame.

While Johnson is physical at the catch point, he isn't overly dominant because he can lose positioning while his eyes are fixated on the quarterback, leading to receivers gaining a slight edge on him on a lot of 50/50 balls. He will contest most passes, but if his eyes are on the passer, a receiver can beat him above the rim due to winning the leverage battle.

Overall

Johnson is interesting as a press cornerback thanks to his physicality, instincts, and ball skills, and he clearly has the intelligence to be a valuable member of any secondary. With that said, there are questions about his specific fit with the Jaguars.

Due to his hip stiffness and lumbering movements when carrying vertical routes in zone coverage, it is worth wondering if a cover 3 oriented scheme like the one the Jaguars run would benefit Johnson. It is hard to envision him playing off coverage against vertical routes, which the Jaguars' scheme frequently asks out of its cornerbacks.

With that said, Johnson's route recognition and ability to get his hands on the football could make him a contributor early on in his career. He is a true outside cornerback, which the Jaguars desperately need, and he can physically dominate receivers who play timid or small.

Johnson has the traits to be an effective cornerback at the next level, but his scheme fit with the Jaguars is iffy at best despite everything he brings to the table.