2020 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jaylon Johnson

2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2020 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Trey Adams, OT, Washington Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State Cam Akers, RB, Florida State Bradley Anae, DE, Utah Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU Jordyn Brooks, ILB, Texas Tech Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn Joe Burrow, QB, LSU K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame Nick Coe, DE, Auburn Lloyd Cushenberry, C, LSU Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State Marlon Davidson, DE, Auburn Ashtyn Davis, S, California Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama Grant Delpit, S, LSU Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne Troy Dye, LB, Oregon J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State Jacob Eason, QB, Washington Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU Jon Greenard, DE, Florida Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA Robert Hunt, G, La.-Lafayette Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn Austin Jackson, OT, USC Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah Josh Jones, OT, Houston Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma Walker Little, OT, Stanford Jordan Love, QB, Utah State Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama Zack Moss, RB, Utah Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri Patrick Queen, LB, LSU Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson Trey Smith, OT, Tennessee D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

Jaylon Johnson, 6-0/193 Cornerback Utah

Jaylon Johnson Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Good height

Good length

Gritty defender

Challenges receivers

Size to match up against big receivers

Wins on 50-50 passes

Plays the ball well in air

Ball aware

Quality ball skills

Soft hands to intercept passes

Threat to take the ball away

Natural zone corner

Quick to drive on the ball

Good vision

Weaknesses:

Extremely stiff

Not able to flip his hips

Thin build

Thin lower body

Scheme limitations

Not a fit for off-man coverage

Outside corner only

Straight line athletically

Summary: In January of 2019 at the all-star games, some NFL evaluators remarked to me about the physicality and toughness of the Utah defense during the 2018 season. Johnson was the star of the coverage side of that stop unit as he produced a lot of big plays for the Utes. With four interceptions, four passes broken up and 41 tackles, Johnson was one of the best corners in the Pac-12. After being a star recruit, Johnson eared playing time as a freshman, recording 25 tackles with an interceptions and six passes broken up.

To finish his collegiate career, Johnson had a strong season for the Utes with 36 tackles with 11 passes broken up and two interceptions in 2019. He put together an impressive game against Washington with a key pick-six to lead the Utah comeback.

Johnson is a gritty defender for the next level. With his physical demeanor, Johnson is an aggressive corner who really battles receivers. He challenges wideouts with size and wins on 50-50 passes by wanting it more. His aggressive style of play can also be seen in Johnson being very dangerous in zone coverage as he is quick to drive on the ball. He has good vision to read plays and breaks hard downhill to break up passes or jump a route to snatch the pass way. Johnson has impressive ball skills and is very ball aware.

Johnson could be limited to being a zone corner in the NFL becaise he is extremely stiff. He is not a corner who can flip his hips and run. Due to the tight hips and ankles, Johnson should not be in a scheme that has him playing lots of off-man coverage. The hip tightness is a concern for press-man technique as well. Johnson has a thin build with a skinny lower body, so getting pushed around by NFL receivers could be a problem. Hence, playing mostly zone coverage could be his best fit.

In the 2020 NFL Draft, Johnson looks like a potential second-day pick.



Player Comparison: Trumaine Johnson. Some team sources said Jaylon Johnson reminds them of Trumaine Johnson. Trumaine Johnson (6-2, 210) was a second-day pick of the St. Louis Rams in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Montana. If Jaylon Johnson can add some weight, he could be a corner comparable to Trumaine Johnson.

2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2020 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Trey Adams, OT, Washington Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State Cam Akers, RB, Florida State Bradley Anae, DE, Utah Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU Jordyn Brooks, ILB, Texas Tech Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn Joe Burrow, QB, LSU K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame Nick Coe, DE, Auburn Lloyd Cushenberry, C, LSU Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State Marlon Davidson, DE, Auburn Ashtyn Davis, S, California Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama Grant Delpit, S, LSU Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne Troy Dye, LB, Oregon J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State Jacob Eason, QB, Washington Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU Jon Greenard, DE, Florida Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA Robert Hunt, G, La.-Lafayette Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn Austin Jackson, OT, USC Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah Josh Jones, OT, Houston Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma Walker Little, OT, Stanford Jordan Love, QB, Utah State Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama Zack Moss, RB, Utah Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri Patrick Queen, LB, LSU Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson Trey Smith, OT, Tennessee D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

RELATED LINKS:


2020 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s


2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports








NFL Picks - Oct. 30


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Oct. 30


NFL Power Rankings - Oct. 28


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4