It took longer than expected, but Jaylon Johnson’s dream of playing in the NFL became a reality Friday night.
The two-time first-team All-Pac-12 player was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 50th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Johnson becomes the seventh corner to be taken off the board in this year’s draft and first in the second round. Several analysts had Johnson as the third best corner in this year’s draft.
Now the All-American joins a talented Bears defense that allowed just 18.6 points a game last season. The fact that the Bears were able to get him late in the second round is a huge steal for the franchise. With the addition of Johnson, the Bears address a big hole in the secondary vacated by Prince Amukamara.
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The 6-foot 193-pound junior, who earned second-team All-America honors from Walter Camp and the Associated Press last season, left the Utah program after his junior season to pursue a pro career.
In his three years at Utah, Johnson had 102 tackles, 28 passes defended, seven interceptions and two touchdowns. He also finished his career with 28 passes defended with 21 pass breakups to finish tied for 10th all-time at Utah.
NFL Combine Analysis
Grade: 6.37 (Will be a starter within first two seasons)
Boundary bully with an improving skill set to clamp down on WR1s and limit their exposure to the football. Johnson is built for press, with the size, length and athleticism to force receivers to work harder getting into their routes. His eagerness to stay tight to the route leads to inconsistent balance and positioning from time to time, but his foot quickness and agility allow for rapid recoveries. He’s equipped to play the deep ball but needs to fully prove himself in that area. He’s a physical press corner with off-man ability whose anticipation and ball skills should continue to help him make plays as a CB1 and first-round pick.
NFL Combine Stats
40-yard Dash: 4.50 seconds
Bench Press: 15 reps
Vertical Jump: 36.5 inches
Broad Jump: 124.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.01 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.13 seconds
