Anthony Johnson 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• Began college career at Louisville and transferred to Virginia ahead of the 2021 season
• Ran track and played football in high school 

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: New
• 2022 projected role: Starting outside corner  

Pros: Anthony Johnson provides an attractive skill set for defenses that employ a zone-heavy coverage scheme. He offers elite length to go with strong ball skills and coverage instincts. He thrives when he can play off, cue the backfield, and work into throwing lanes. Johnson has appeal in press coverage where he is effective at using his length to create jams at the line of scrimmage with powerful strikes and good body control. He is more than willing to use his rangy frame to crowd releases and cap routes quickly, taking receivers off the menu for the opposing quarterback. Johnson’s length also shows up at the catch point where he is highly disruptive and showcases strong ball skills. He is above average at locating and breaking on the football. Johnson has good speed and more quickness than expected for a taller corner. 

Cons: Anthony Johnson is likely to have the scheme-specific label and teams that want to run high amounts of man coverage may not see him as an option. He is high-hipped and works through some tightness when flipping his hips and transitioning. His change of direction skills can be a touch segmented and there will likely be some matchup restrictions against twitchier route runners. Johnson has a tendency to be grabby at the top of routes and as plays elongate, leading to questions about his athletic confidence. There are false steps present in press coverage and when transitioning which takes away from his quickness. For a bigger and longer corner, I wanted to see a bigger appetite for playing off contact, tackling, and defending the run. He will turn 23 before the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Anthony Johnson NFL Draft Scouting Report by Joe Marino