Prospect Summary
Antonio Johnson 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Background:
- Army All-American in high school
- Played wide receiver and defensive back in high school
- 2021 Second Team All-SEC
System:
- Scheme tendencies: Multiple
- 2022 projected role: Starting slot safety
Pros: Antonio Johnson is an instinctive defender that plays a physical brand of football and lines up all over the field. Texas A&M aligns Johnson as a slot corner, split zone safety, and even occasionally as a linebacker and he shows comfort in each of those roles. Johnson is a sharp processor that stays leveraged and has a rapid downhill trigger. He is aggressive in pursuit and physical when playing through contact. Johnson is an outstanding tackler that embraces the fundamentals of arriving balanced, wrapping, and bringing his feet through. Johnson doesn’t concede yards after contact and he’s a tone-setter for the Aggies’ defense. Johnson showcases a natural feel for zone coverage where he naturally gets to his landmarks and diagnoses route combinations, frequently capping routes and showcasing the ability to adjust on the fly. He has some situational appeal in man coverage against tight ends and bigger slot receivers. While his ball skills have room to grow, Johnson has shown the ability to play through the hands of the receiver when driving forward on the football.
Cons: Antonio Johnson has yet to showcase himself well in terms of making plays on the football with consistency. While he flashes the ability to disrupt at the catch point when driving forward, his awareness of the football is lacking with his back to the line of scrimmage and he’s missed chances to make plays on the ball down the field. Johnson is a bit of a high-cut athlete so his transitions and change of direction skills have some segmentation to them. His versatility is a major asset for Texas A&M, but will the NFL embrace a slot corner/safety role for him? Does he have a true position?
Antonio Johnson NFL Draft Scouting Report by Joe Marino