Lonnie Johnson Rated Well by Experts
https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/football/west-side-grad-kentucky-cb-lonnie-johnson-jr-selected-by/article_00fccc51-fa0e-5a5a-9a45-4e0a24a74141.html
Published on State of the Texans
The Houston Texans drafted Lonnie Johnson, a starting corner for the University of Kentucky in 2017 and 2018, with the 54th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. With both Kareem Jackson and Tyrann Mathieu leaving the team, the Texans secondary took a major hit. Already a mediocre secondary, with both of their team leaders gone, the Texans had to replace them quickly. Subsequently, the Texans signed both Bradley Roby and Briean Boddy Calhoun. Although both players are good replacements, the Texans needed additional help in the secondary, and Lonnie Johnson is the perfect solution for the Texans.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com described that Johnson is very capable of being a starting cornerback. Johnson is very long and tall with a plethora of advantageous physical traits, benefiting him as a cornerback. In addition, Johnson is very smooth in his backpedal, making him a very fluid player, being able to mirror and match the man he is guarding. However, some major weaknesses that Zierlein points are that Johnson lacks consistency and ball skills. In addition, his run defense needs a plethora of improvement. In addition, he has below average instincts and route anticipation. However, if Johnson is able to “hone [on] his ball skills and finds the right scheme fit”, he would be able to be a great starter for the Houston Texans.
Matt Miller’s scouting report presents a similar situation about Lonnie Johnson. With a very high ceiling and incredible length and size, he is able to reroute receivers due to his gargantuan size. In addition, Lonnie Johnson is a threat to opposing offenses with his intense aggressiveness that accompanies his length and strength. In addition, Miller states that Lonnie Johnson is very competitive that has a great work ethic as an alpha dog athlete. However, a weakness for Lonnie Johnson is his run defense as he is often reluctant to tackle in the run game. In addition, Johnson struggles to keep up with receivers who have top-end speed. In addition, deflections and interceptions are rare of Johnson as he has a problem locating the football. Although Lonnie Johnson is a very physically gifted play, he struggles with both production and consistency. However, with good coaching and proper fixing of his skills, Miller predicts that Johnson can easily be a Number 1 corner and is even a Pro-Bowl caliber player. Miller even compares Johnson to Chris McAlister, a three-time Pro Bowler.
Lonnie Johnson is viewed similarly by the CBS Sports Staff. He is a tremendously athletic player that intimidates others. He has a long frame that is very attractive to NFL Teams. In addition, this size and toughness prevent him from being tough to beat deep. However, Johnson needs to “do a better job of tackling “ and needs to play with more consistency. The CBS Sports Staff concludes that Johnson offers great upside and potential. However, if he is able to fix his mistakes and hone on his skills, he can be a quick starter and even possibly a Pro Bowler.
In conclusion, Lonnie Johnson is a great pick for the Texans. With some improvement on his skills, the Texans can make Lonnie Johnson a great player for them.
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/lonnie-johnson?id=32194a4f-4800-0020-6142-473a18150e9b
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2824243-lonnie-johnson-nfl-draft-2019-scouting-report-for-houston-texans-pick
https://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/players/playerpage/2803779/lonnie-johnson