Dontae Johnson - You'd Better Be Awesome

[supreme_clientele81]

press coverage vulnerability? ahh he fits right in lol...

Yea that's what I thought as well. But I do believe of the two (press, zone) press is easier to learn. Well that is what I hope at least.

 

[CalamityX11]

Yea that's what I thought as well. But I do believe of the two (press, zone) press is easier to learn. Well that is what I hope at least.

Press, yes... but also you better have the ability to turn and react quick too... or else, one step boom you're chasing

 

[Xponentialchaos]

I thought press was his strength, especially with his size. It was his off-coverage that was pretty bad.

 

[CalamityX11]

Off of NFL.com

Strengths
Good height, balance and athleticism. Can run with tight ends in coverage. Zone aware. Efficient plant-and-drive. Has a 38 1/2-inch vertical jump. Sets a hard edge in run support -- works to get off blocks, throws his weight around and tackles aggressively. Has played safety, cornerback, nickel and special teams. Smart and hardworking.
Weaknesses
Is lean and needs to bulk up and get stronger. Has short arms and small hands. Lacks elite top-end speed (struggled mightily to contain Clemson WR Sammy Watkins). Hesitates to diagnose from depth and takes some inaccurate angles. Shows tightness in transition. Struggles to break down and tackle in space. Ordinary ball production.
Draft Projection
Rounds 3-4
Bottom Line
Wiry, narrow-framed, high-cut, athletic defensive back who would be best in a predominantly zone scheme where he would have value as a versatile backup.

 

[CalamityX11]

I'm a believer of the pros outweighs the cons but those are some cons....

 

[Xponentialchaos]

 

[supreme_clientele81]

I'm a believer of the pros outweighs the cons but those are some cons....

To be fair everyone had a hard time with Watkins. His size/strength doesn't bother me that much since in the NFL he will get stronger he will have to work on his press but hopefully Dontell and co can work on that.

 

[CalamityX11]

To be fair everyone had a hard time with Watkins. His size/strength doesn't bother me that much since in the NFL he will get stronger he will have to work on his press but hopefully Dontell and co can work on that.

Oh I had no eyebrow raising about the Watkins part, it was the other "fundamental like" qualities of a CB that were pronounced weak that raised a brow...

 

[tomikcon1971]

I thought press was his strength, especially with his size. It was his off-coverage that was pretty bad.

This is exactly what I heard and they had video to back it up from the senior bowl or some other post season game.

They also said teams either loved him or hated him. No in between.

 

[I_am_1z]

Did the brass say anything about drafting Dontae because there's no way he can play CB, he's got to be a S/STer

 

[NinerSickness]

Did the brass say anything about drafting Dontae because there's no way he can play CB, he's got to be a S/STer

 

[tomikcon1971]

I think they drafted him to be a press corner....I thought I heard that. But I was focused on waiting for Kiper's bladder to burst.

 

[tomikcon1971]

 

[imac_21]

I agree I cant believe how far Desir fell. Something doesn't seem right. Either ESPN and most Experts were wrong or all 32 NFL teams were wrong. LOL

This happens every year. The first one I have a strong memory of is Roosevelt Williams, another small school (Tuskegee) CB who some Niner fans on the ESPN board at the time were hoping would fall to us in the late 1st, ended up going 72nd.

I'm going to side with the NFL in every case like this. Derek Ross was a big school example of the exact same thing from the same draft.

Pick a draft and start looking at the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds and you are guaranteed to see guys that the internet thought were big time sleeper talents that the NFL disagreed with.

 

[NinerSickness]

Just thought this was interesting. David Amerson and Earl Wolff (both in the NFL now) both whiff on the receiver (top of the screen), and Dontae Johnson catches up to him to save the TD from the other side of the field.

He makes the tackle at the 28; you'll have to take my word for it.

 

[Hangman]

McShay and Kiper both said he is new to press coverage and did poorly at it during Senior Bowl. They showed him jamming well, but after that he was a step behind.

Mayock on the other hand said he was great in zone and was new to the press coverage, but was learning it fast and would be great with press coverage after doing it for a whole training camp.

 

[I_am_1z]

McShay and Kiper both said he is new to press coverage and did poorly at it during Senior Bowl. They showed him jamming well, but after that he was a step behind.

Mayock on the other hand said he was great in zone and was new to the press coverage, but was learning it fast and would be great with press coverage after doing it for a whole training camp.

Aka he's a safety.

 

[dredinis21]

Aka he's a safety.

C'mon, you are going to write him off as a S just because he hasn't played press coverage and didn't pick it up at the NFL level within the ONE WEEK's worth of practice prior to the Senior Bowl? You may ultimately be correct, but to write him off this early seems silly.

 

[I_am_1z]

C'mon, you are going to write him off as a S just because he hasn't played press coverage and didn't pick it up at the NFL level within the ONE WEEK's worth of practice prior to the Senior Bowl? You may ultimately be correct, but to write him off this early seems silly.

Did the brass say anything about drafting Dontae because there's no way he can play CB, he's got to be a S/STer

Oh, but I wrote him off earlier as a CB . Of course there's the wait and see game, but I don't think we'll ever see this one bloom into a worthwhile CB.

 

[Hangman]

Oh, but I wrote him off earlier as a CB . Of course there's the wait and see game, but I don't think we'll ever see this one bloom into a worthwhile CB.

A lot of people said the same thing about Brown. It took 3 years for him to become a starter and then lost it that same year. Then he became a starter and a solid CB for a few years. I expect it to be about the same for Donate. He will take a few years to become a starter, but he will become a starter. It would not surprise me to see him start in 3 years. But, the secondary is pretty set for the next few years too.

Culliver (reports are 9ers are close to giving him a Brock type extension $16m/4 years) and Brock on the outside. Ward as the nickel. Reid and Bathea at safety.

Brock also took 3.5 years to start and look how well he played last season. I bet you never felt an UDFA signing who was on the PS for his first year from a small school and never played press coverage.

Brock has better straight line speed. He is a 4.37 40 guy. Johnson is a 4.45 guy. But Johnson is longer and more fluid in the hips. I think he will learn press coverage and be a good outside corner.