Heading into the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears had needs at both cornerback and safety. You could argue that cornerback was move pressing, and general manager Ryan Pace proved just that with his selection.
Luckily for Chicago, a first-round talent in Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson fell to them with the 50th overall pick.
The selection itself is a showing of great faith in Johnson, since this is the earliest that the Bears have taken a cornerback since they selected Kyle Fuller in the first round back in 2014. In fact, Pace hasn’t drafted a cornerback high than the sixth round since the beginning of his tenure in Chicago. And it’s easy to see what Pace loves about Johnson.
Johnson is an instinctive cornerback that brings a competitive edge and toughness to the position. Coupled with his intelligence and ball skills, Johnson is the kind of cornerback prospect that has the ability to make an immediate impact as a starter.
Johnson has all the physical traits, but he’s also a high-character guy with an impressive work ethic, which are the kind of guys that Pace and Matt Nagy like to bring to the team.
The concern with Johnson isn’t his talent or character — it’s his injury struggles. Johnson has had three surgeries on his shoulders in the last four years — including most recently to repair a torn labrum following the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. The word from Johnson’s doctor is that he is ahead of schedule, according to The Athletic.
Assuming Johnson is cleared to go for his rookie season, he’ll have to compete for the starting job opposite Pro Bowler Kyle Fuller, where he’ll battle the likes of Kevin Toliver, Tre Roberson and Artie Burns. But you figure, at this point, Johnson has the upper hand.
There are concerns about Johnson’s shoulder injuries. But, ultimately, Johnson is a top-three cornerback talent that the Bears snagged in the second round.
Grade: B+
What do you think, Bears fans? How would you grade Chicago’s selection of Johnson?
