Pro day works out for Johnson
With 17 scouts at yesterday’s pro day at Boston College, one would probably have a difficult time nailing down a consensus of where exactly John Johnson will line up at the next level.
“Some teams said, ‘ John, you’re not a safety. Get that out of your head. You’re a corner,’ ” Johnson said. “Other teams asked me what I like best. The feedback going into it is just to be open to everything. I’m a defensive back. I’ve got to be ready to do both.”
With the way Johnson caught the ball during drills, maybe he could even slide over to the other side of the ball and play a little wide receiver. Wherever he ends up, Johnson will bring a healthy dose of versatility.
After a strong performance at the NFL combine in Indianapolis at the beginning of the month, Johnson could go as high as the second or third round in the draft at the end of April.
Luckily for Johnson, he has the experience necessary to accommodate a number of different roles.
“I came into Boston College as a corner,” he said. “I got moved to strong safety, and I played nickel that year as well. Then I finished up at free safety. I’m open to anything, and I’m willing to do anything. I think I’ve got the body to do it, so we’ll see.”
Johnson’s 40-yard dash time (4.61 seconds) at the combine was not ideal, but his vertical jump (37 inches), 3-cone drill (6.72 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.18 seconds) were all solid for a defensive back, so he did not have to do anything drastic yesterday to improve his stock, which has gone up steadily during the past few months. He posted a broad jump of 10 feet at the pro day and a time of 11.41 seconds in the 60-yard shuttle.
The senior from West Hyattsville, Md., attributes much of his success in the testing department to his work with the EXOS training facility in Pensacola, Fla., where he spent about two months getting ready for the combine.
“EXOS was probably the best training facility,” said Johnson, who made 77 tackles and recorded three interceptions last season. “You look at the top guys who did the best at the combine, it’s all EXOS guys. It’s kind of lonely and the grind was real. I was on my own. I had to wake up every day like a job. But I did a good job (at the combine), and I’ve got to give the credit to them.”
Representatives from the Patriots, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, among others, were in attendance.
Patriots college scouting coordinator Brian Smith, a regular at BC pro days, ran several drills. Scouting assistant Cam Williams worked alongside Smith.
Linebacker Matt Milano, quarterback Patrick Towles, defensive lineman Kevin Kavalec, running back Myles Willis and wide receiver David Dudeck, a 2015 graduate, also participated. Milano is another versatile performer projected to be a late-round pick.