Selection 1.16, Kevin Johnson, CB Wake Forest

[bayoudreamn]

If Mallet or Savage turn out to be a solid QB, we should be able to score points. Andre is gone, so what, the qb position is the problem here not our WR's.

Exactly. We had the potential to score points last year, but couldn't generate efficiency at the QB position. The stats matched up with other QBs but the points generated didn't. Now we have some additions on defense that make us better and we have a different set of QBs to see if we can generate more production from that position.

 

[EllisUnit]

So now we'll shut down Hilton and Andre.

Andre ? I thought he was old and washed up....

 

[bayoudreamn]

Andre ? I thought he was old and washed up....

I didn't say that......but he might after this year.

 

[EllisUnit]

I didn't say that......but he might after this year.

Not you, just a lot of other people.

 

[Blake]

Definitely didn't see this one coming.

I though they felt solid at CB with their starting 2, plus strong play from Boye, Morris and Rolle. Maybe grabbing a guy later in the draft. But I guess they saw tremendous value in a potentially lackluster CB class.

This is probably a pick that we wont fully appreciate for a year until we have a huge hole at CB that he can fill. With JJo on his way out, Johnson will be expected to fill that spot and keep our CB play to a high level. Just glad we didnt take Workout warrior, Byron Jones.

 

[GermanTexan]

I hadnt Johnson under my radar, but i do like the pick.

The more i read and see the more i like him. He and Jackson might build a really good Corner duo for years to come.
Also nice he doesnt have to much weight on his shoulders sitting behind Joseph.

 

[Blake]

I hadnt Johnson under my radar, but i do like the pick.

The more i read and see the more i like him. He and Jackson might build a really good Corner duo for years to come.
Also nice he doesnt have to much weight on his shoulders sitting behind Joseph.

That's usually how it goes after the draft. You have your eye on certain guys, we pick other guys and you start digging. Not saying that Johnson shouldn't get you pumped. Lets just hope his play warrants the optimism that we get from him as a prospect.

 

[thunderkyss]

 

[Playoffs]

DeAndre Hopkins @Nukdabomb

Kevin Johnson @KevJr9 the best DB I played against in college and he was only a freshman

"Kevin Johnson I like,” said NFL Films' Greg Cosell. “Kevin Johnson, to me, is maybe the best zone corner, in the sense of understanding route concepts. He’s very, very smart. Very rarely do you see college corners come into the NFL with an understanding of pattern reading, formations, carrying routes and then passing them on – those kinds of things. He’s really, really good at that. He certainly has the skill to be a press-man corner. He’s not quite as comfortable at that right now, he needs to be taught, but he certainly has the athletic ability to do that. But I like Kevin Johnson as well.”

One of the knocks on Johnson is his size and more specifically, the weight that he played at in college, and Cosell was asked to talk about that.

“He’s not short, he just doesn’t have a lot of girth, he’s slight,” said Cosell. “But it’s funny, when he played boundary corner, and he predominantly played the boundary corner in Wake Forest defense, which means he played to the short side of the field, and in college, that’s a very short side of the field. And there’s really three main responsibilities when you play boundary corner in college. You’ve got to be able to play man, you’ve got to be able to play the run with toughness and you’ve got to be able to blitz. He did all of those things, so its not that he’s unwilling to play a physical game, in fact, he’s very willing to play a physical game, it’s just that he’s not 205 pounds.”

At the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine, Johnson measured in at 6-0, 188-pounds, so his weight is certainly going in the right direction. While his 40-yard dash time wasn’t eye-popping at the combine, Johnson did register impressive numbers in the 20-yard shuttle, three-cone drill, vertical jump and broad jump.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had plenty of representation at Johnson’s March pro-day, so it’s obvious that they’re interested in him. Should they ultimately wind up drafting Johnson in the first-round, or any other cornerback, it will mark the first time that position has been addressed that early since Chad Scott was selected with the 24th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft.

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/0...n-might-be-the-best-zone-corner-in-the-draft/

 

[Playoffs]

Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock

Tom Savage on rookie CB Kevin Johnson, "He's very quick. He's a very smart player. Actually, he comes in [to the offensive room]... we watch film together, he's asking me what I'm looking at in splits, what I'm looking at in other... he sits in there and is taking notes. He doesn't have to do that, I know the rookie's schedule is crazy now, so he's doing a good job."

 

[Honoring Earl 34]

Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock

Does that mean he's going to the HOF like the USC receiver .

 

[Playoffs]

"He's going to be good. He's going to be real good," DeAndre Hopkins on Kevin Johnson.​

CB Kevin Johnson
(on what he feels like he’s done well so far and what he wants to do better) “I feel like I’ve done a pretty
good job of breaking down the ball and playing my game. Some things that I want to work on is coming out
of my breaks, driving my eyes on the receiver, you know because it makes that much of a difference with
the separation aspect.”

(on if the team is counting on him to be a starter in a three-corner system) “I’m just coming in here trying to
compete and get better every day. That’s not my decision. I’m just coming out here trying to make the team
better every day.”

(on what he thinks he brings to the table as a rookie) “I’m a competitor. I think that’s something that I bring
to the table. I’m going to come out there and compete, give it my all.”

(on how the complexity of the defense has been for him) “Yeah, it’s been pretty good. The coaching staff
has done a great job helping me out, coming along with the schemes, the veterans like K-Jack (Kareem
Jackson) and J-Jo (Johnathan Joseph), those guys are coming out here helping me as well.”

(on fighting for the third cornerback spot) “Yeah, like I said, I am just coming out here every day and doing
what I can control, which is coming out here and competing.”

(on the depth at cornerback) “Oh for sure, I mean we have a plethora of guys who can come out here and
play. It is very exciting.”

(on playing in a passing league) “For sure, everybody in the league has guys and you have to be able to
match up with them.”

(on the relationship between the cornerbacks) “Like I said, those guys welcomed me with open arms,
teaching me the schemes and things I needed to look for. We are just coming out here, we are really cool
off the field and on the field we are just competing with each other.”

(on going against another team for the first time in Richmond) “At the end of the day, it is just football so of
course it is going to be a high level competition in the NFL. But I am just excited to work hard and get better
every day so hopefully I can be a great player one day.”

 

[PapaL]

Ah hell. He used the word plethora and used it properly. I'm a fan!

 

[Mari-OWNED!]

Ah hell. He used the word plethora and used it properly. I'm a fan!

Made me think of this.

 

[Brandon420tx]

Ah hell. He used the word plethora and used it properly. I'm a fan!

I thought the same exact thing

 

[Brandon420tx]

You know whats fun? Reading the initial reaction to the pick at the beginning of this thread

 

[Scooter]

You know whats fun? Reading the initial reaction to the pick at the beginning of this thread

I don't think I posted, but I was NOT very happy with the pick. We have 2 very very good starting corners, and 2 or 3 guys behind them that looked strong at different points in the season. Much like the Colts going WR in the first, I felt that adding a pick there was overkill when we have so many other holes.

Now, I will contradict myself a little and say that you can never have enough good corners in today's game, and with Kareem's ability to kick inside it makes having another elite outside presence add incredible stability and flexibility. I quote(ish) Mean Joe Greene when talking about Earl Campbell - "we knew we had the talent to match up 1v1 against their receivers, so we could focus everything on Earl". Having 3 number one corners allows us to take away from an offense in a similar manner and attack the offense's strengths at will. I just felt that 2 and quality depth was plenty when help elsewhere (especially on our imploding offense) could've had a much larger impact in the W-L column. I accept it ... never enough cornerbacks.

I still feel that way. Camp reports are all sunshine and rainbows, but Hard Knocks actually let us view some real game 1 potential from Johnson. He looks at lot like what Kareem Jackson's rookie year SHOULD'VE looked like - kid appears to have all the tools and the perfect mind for his position. I Love the player - the pick not so much. Is he enough to overshadow a line where Newton has gone from our worst piece to irrelevant because Jones and XSF are potential disasters? Or a receiving core of Hopkins and a bunch of maybes and probably nots? Or our nonexistent Tightends? Or a backfield that craters without Foster? Or obviously our QB situation? We'll see.

 

[Playoffs]

AFC preseason player grades, Week 2
By Bucky Brooks|NFL Media analyst

...
Houston Texans: Kevin Johnson, CB
GRADE: A-

Strengths: Johnson was arguably the most versatile and technically sound corner in this year's draft class. The Wake Forest product continues to display a dynamic set of skills as a cover corner. Johnson showed outstanding footwork, movement skills and awareness playing on the outside against Denver, yet he was just as effective working in the slot as a nickel corner with the second team. He registered a breakup on a pass to Demaryius Thomas, exhibiting exceptional anticipation and footwork on the play.

Weaknesses: Johnson's ultra-competitive demeanor will lead to a few flags when he challenges receivers down the field. He received a questionable defensive holding penalty in the second quarter, but the rookie will avoid infractions in the future when he acclimates to the NFL rules restricting excessive contact on the perimeter.

What he needs to work on: Johnson is slated to serve as the Texans' CB3 heading into the season, but he needs to continue to hone his technique on the perimeter. Although his footwork and movement skills are nearly perfect, Johnson has to work on keeping his hands off receivers down the field.​

 

[thunderkyss]

Kj2 really looks like he belongs. I like how he reacts after making a play, like he knows he done did something. Like, "Yeah I hit you, & I stopped your ass!"

In contrast, when Kj1 hits someone, he's looing around like he stole something. As if he thinks someone might throw a flag. Granted he may have been conditioned with all those BS p.i. calls he's gotten.

But the point is, Kj2 looks pretty good out there.

 

[ghostlight]

Made me think of this.

Now i won't be able to get that out of my mind.

 

[brg88tx]

i know i'll probably get attacked for bringing this up, but is anyone else concerned about kevin johnson's speed? he ran a 4.52 at the combine and some speedy receivers are in the 4.3 range.....big difference. i can see him getting burned deep, but i hope i'm wrong.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

I'm not concerned about that at all. 4.52 is fine. Not like he ran a 4.7 or something.

Besides that though, it's his technique that will allow him to be a good corner.

 

[Mollywhopper]

It doesn't seem to hold Richard Sherman back.

 

[PapaL]

i know i'll probably get attacked for bringing this up, but is anyone else concerned about kevin johnson's speed? he ran a 4.52 at the combine and some speedy receivers are in the 4.3 range.....big difference. i can see him getting burned deep, but i hope i'm wrong.

If they ever line up in shorts on a track I'll be concerned. That's not football speed.

 

[Bulls on Parade]

i know i'll probably get attacked for bringing this up, but is anyone else concerned about kevin johnson's speed? he ran a 4.52 at the combine and some speedy receivers are in the 4.3 range.....big difference. i can see him getting burned deep, but i hope i'm wrong.

Richard Sherman ran an even slower 4.56 at his combine in 2011.
The Seattle Seahawks took a chance on him in the fifth-round.
His first four seasons in the NFL have been very impressive.
3-time All Pro, Super Bowl champion, all 16 games played each year.
Although he has played with two of the better safeties in the game as well.

 

[Bulls on Parade]

If they ever line up in shorts on a track I'll be concerned. That's not football speed.

J.J. Watt would be in trouble if that happened. Vince Wilfork too.
But yet, I would take those two dominating players any day of the week.

Two of the all-time greats on offense, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, were known to be slow 40-time runners as well. Their Hall of Fame careers disrupted the notion that it mattered all that much.

"Richard Sherman has no future in the NFL because he's too slow," said one scout from an AFC team back at the 2011 NFL combine. Hopefully that wasn't the Texans, LOL, but he's certainly off to a Hall of Fame career for that position as I mentioned in the previous post.

 

[thunderkyss]

If they ever line up in shorts on a track I'll be concerned. That's not football speed.

Agreed. Combine numbers are just part of the equation. Techniques, reading routes, learning tendencies, understanding your job/role... all parts of the equation.

 

[IDEXAN]

Richard Sherman ran an even slower 4.56 at his combine in 2011.
The Seattle Seahawks took a chance on him in the fifth-round.
His first four seasons in the NFL have been very impressive.
3-time All Pro, Super Bowl champion, all 16 games played each year.
Although he has played with two of the better safeties in the game as well.

Good safties to help out with coverage over the top can sometimes mask the disadvantage of a corner with slow foot speed trying to over a fast receiver on a fly pattern or deep post. We shall see when we play Indy which has even more deep speed than ever this year.

 

[thunderkyss]

Good safties to help out with coverage over the top can sometimes mask the disadvantage of a corner with slow foot speed trying to over a fast receiver on a fly pattern or deep post. We shall see when we play Indy which has even more deep speed than ever this year.

Not allowing those fast receivers a free release off the line can help, as well as disrupting their routes & limiting possible ball placement solutions.

A strong front against the run, allowing our Mike & Mo LBs to start deep will help as well.

 

[Bulls on Parade]

Good safties to help out with coverage over the top can sometimes mask the disadvantage of a corner with slow foot speed trying to over a fast receiver on a fly pattern or deep post. We shall see when we play Indy which has even more deep speed than ever this year.

Our pass rush has to dominate and put Andrew Luck on his ass every other passing play. We need to disrupt his timing with those talented wide receivers. It's going to be a great challenge but our defense seems ready to stop even the elite offenses this year. That will give us a chance to compete and win every game.

That will be Week 5 when we play the Colts. And we could be 4-0 going into that game. That's also when Arian Foster is planning to make his season debut. We could hopefully be on a nice little momentum rush at that time. Or "Bull Rush" as I like to say!

 

[Marshall]

i know i'll probably get attacked for bringing this up, but is anyone else concerned about kevin johnson's speed? he ran a 4.52 at the combine and some speedy receivers are in the 4.3 range.....big difference. i can see him getting burned deep, but i hope i'm wrong.

If he knows how to play the angles, it shouldn't be a problem. The problem many players have is reacting to changes of direction as a DB and that seems to be his strong suit.

Anyway, the QB will only have about 2 1/2 seconds to throw the ball so the receiver will have to cut off his routes anyway. At least, that's what I hope to see.

The math:
KJ2 40 yards = 4.52 seconds; 1 yard = .113 seconds
Fast receiver 40 yards = 4.3 seconds; 1 yard = .1075 seconds
Receiver advantage = .0055 seconds/yard
10 yards = .055 seconds or ~ 1/2 yard
20 yards = .11 seconds or ~ 1 yard
30 yards = .165 seconds or ~ 1 1/2 yards
40 yards = .22 seconds or ~ 2 yards
50 yards = .275 seconds or ~ 2 1/2 yards
60 yards = .33 seconds or ~ 3 yards
70 yards = .385 seconds or ~3 1/2 yards

A typical reaction time is about .4 seconds to outside stimuli. Let's say a typical athlete gets it to .35 seconds and CJ2 is at .3 seconds. (Drag racers appear to have a faster reaction time only because they can anticipate the stimuli.) Whether CJ2 is reacting quickly or anticipating well is unknown, but the small advantage the receiver has is partially offset by his above average reaction time (.05 seconds = ~.5 yards) and the small cushion which varies with the D call should be sufficient to overcome the remaining difference. A perfect throw will beat just about any DB. But even the greats aren't THAT accurate all the time. They rely on good receivers getting good position on the defender.

But he also has the length advantage which came into play with James. If you do everything right, then that length will make a difference.

 

[TheRealJoker]

^^^

You shouldn't extrapolate KJ2's 40 time across single yards. It's inaccurate. KJ's shuttle and 3 cone times were elite this draft class. He's got some of the best closing speed in this draft. So what if he doesn't run 40 yards as fast as some other players? It's much more likely he's running 10-20 in different directions than 40 straight.

 

[Vance87]

Dear god can we play football already

 

[Playoffs]

...is anyone else concerned about kevin johnson's speed? he ran a 4.52 at the combine and some speedy receivers are in the 4.3 range.....big difference. i can see him getting burned deep, but i hope i'm wrong.

Nope. Best two CBs in this draft, imo, ran 4.52 and 4.53 40s at Combine.

Trae Waynes was much faster at 4.31 but...

Nobody that I saw flipped their hips/transitioned quicker and smoother than KJ2. And then these Combine times:

3-cone drill: TWaynes, 7.06 ; short shuttle: 4.39

3-cone drill: KJohnson, 6.79 ; short shuttle: 3.89​

Those are pretty big differences that explain what you see in game film re: playing speed. So an example that might encapsulate this is, WR runs a comeback or curl route with a hesitation burst move that forces KJ2 to backpeddle ~6 steps, stay low, flip his hips and chase a few more, then plant a foot and fire back toward the QB break up the pass.

You don't draft guys because of these times, but you do use them to confirm what you're seeing on tape. I preferred KJ2 and Peters for our defense. Waynes drafted ahead of both.

Doesn't mean he won't have rookie adjustments, though. He'll get picked on.

 

[infantrycak]

Doesn't mean he won't have rookie adjustments, though. He'll get picked on.

As when we had Glenn for Dunia we have vets this time JJo in particular who you could see mentoring on the sidelines. KJo won't be adrift like KJ (as well as not being a lead dog).

 

[beerlover]

How did Kevin Johnson look against Chiefs?

 

[PapaL]

How did Kevin Johnson look against Chiefs?

No glaring mistakes in coverage. Knocked the hell out of TE Travis Kelce on one tackle.

 

[sandman]

No glaring mistakes in coverage. Knocked the hell out of TE Travis Kelce on one tackle.

Dude definitely hits above his weight class. Not even a buck ninety.

 

[Marshall]

Dude definitely hits above his weight class. Not even a buck ninety.

He converts speed into power rather than mass into power. But the key to success is limiting YAC after impact. We let go a high draft choice who hit rather than tackled. So far so good on that part.

 

[infantrycak]

He converts speed into power rather than mass into power.

You say this like it means something.

 

[Marshall]

You say this like it means something.

Yes. It's Physics 101. Mass times Speed equals Power (not to be confused with Volts times Amperage equals Power though the parallels are obvious). People tend to think only of the component of Mass. I apologize if it needed more explanation than I gave it.

 

[markn]

Yes. It's Physics 101. Mass times Speed equals Power (not to be confused with Volts times Amperage equals Power though the parallels are obvious). People tend to think only of the component of Mass. I apologize if it needed more explanation than I gave it.

Mass x velocity = momentum which is a vector. Since speed is the magnitude of velocity, mass x speed is the magnitude of momentum.

Carry on.

 

[infantrycak]

Yes. It's Physics 101. Mass times Speed equals Power (not to be confused with Volts times Amperage equals Power though the parallels are obvious). People tend to think only of the component of Mass. I apologize if it needed more explanation than I gave it.

It's actually force times velocity and both are vectors.

Point being you presented it as either or when both are in direct relationship.

 

[Marshall]

It's actually force times velocity and both are vectors.

Point being you presented it as either or when both are in direct relationship.

http://physics.info/velocity/
I want to claim scaler terminology was what I was after all along, but the truth is I just pulled it from the recesses of my memory which leaves several possibilities for error if error is indicated. One - a memory failure, two - poor instruction and the third - an alternative nomenclature which deviates from the standard.

I guess a review of the basics is in order. Perhaps mental exercises are not so different from athletic exercises after all. Get back to the Basics.

 

[infantrycak]

By happenstance my undergrad was physics.

I was lucky enough to have this scene - quantum prof walks into the classroom, says "75% of you are out of jobs. The wall just fell. Think about another career if you have an aptitude. "

I didn't so I picked law

 

[thunderkyss]

You say this like it means something.

Now c'mon... looks like you're picking a fight even though you know it's a waste of time. During the offseason, I can understand, but there's all kinds of things we can have good discussions about now. JFF might start next week, or something.

 

[infantrycak]

Now c'mon... looks like you're picking a fight even though you know it's a waste of time. During the offseason, I can understand, but there's all kinds of things we can have good discussions about now. JFF might start next week, or something.

Mmmkay. Roger Out.

 

[Marshall]

It's actually force times velocity and both are vectors.

Point being you presented it as either or when both are in direct relationship.

It is neither either / or nor in direct relationship. They are components of the third and at best are inversely proportional to each other if the product is presumed to be fixed. Now I'll let you decide if that meets your definition of a direct relationship or not. Like many basic formulas, the further you take them, the more complex they become as the components become more precise in their meaning.

But I suppose we better get back to the usual football terminology rather than spend any more time on the physics of football hitting power.

By happenstance my undergrad was physics.

I was lucky enough to have this scene - quantum prof walks into the classroom, says "75% of you are out of jobs. The wall just fell. Think about another career if you have an aptitude. "

I didn't so I picked law

I didn't anticipate humor, so I had to look at this a couple of times.

 

[Texanmike02]

By happenstance my undergrad was physics.

I was lucky enough to have this scene - quantum prof walks into the classroom, says "75% of you are out of jobs. The wall just fell. Think about another career if you have an aptitude. "

I didn't so I picked law

89?

 

[infantrycak]

89?

Yup.