2027 NFL Scouting Report: Tae Johnson

Prospect Summary:

NFL teams are always looking for big-play weapons in pass coverage and defenders that can cover a lot of space on the backend to prevent big plays. Johnson is a great fit for the NFL as he is fast and covers ground while being a dynamic playmaker. With his skill set and instincts, Johnson is a natural football player and is an interchangeable safety that excels as a free or strong safety.

In pass coverage, Johnson is excellent in deep zone as a single high free safety. He has tremendous instincts and ball skills that lead to him being a playmaker on the back end. With excellent anticipation and route recognition, he covers a ton of ground and uses his length to disrupt passing lanes. He is very adept at reading the eyes of the quarterback to jump a route for an interception or a pass breakup. Johnson has the potential to be a dangerous ball hawk on the back end. He is an excellent zone defender in the middle of the field. Based on what he did in 2025, Johnson could be a good deep free safety in the NFL.

Along with being strong in zone coverage, Johnson could play some man coverage on tight ends and slot receivers. He did a nice job of running with them and preventing separation in his first season of playing time.

Johnson also contributes as a run defender. He is a good open-field tackler and is willing to get physical. Johnson could stand to gain some weight to tackle at the pro level, but he is a young player that is still developing.

Sources say that Johnson is a good kid and has worked really hard behind the scenes at Notre Dame. They like his character and makeup and think he will be an asset in a pro locker room. If Johnson stays consistent in 2026, he should receive starter grades from NFL scouts.