Highlights of Bears’ Dynamic New Play-Maker Drafted at No. 50: [Watch]

Bears draft Jaylon Johnson

Getty Jaylon Johnson was drafted by the Bears with the 50th overall pick.

Eddie Jackson and Kyle Fuller have a new talent to mentor. The Chicago Bears selected Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson with the 50th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, bolstering their depth at cornerback.

Johnson was a two-time first-team All-Pace 12 selection in his three years with the Utes. He had seven interceptions in his three years at Utah to go with 21 passes defensed.


Bears Boost Secondary, Add Depth With Johnson

The Draft Network said the following about Johnson:

“For a team in search of an option to matchup with bigger-bodied receivers with press coverage, then Johnson is an appealing prospect. He has the size, length, physicality and ball skills needed to hold his own. With that said, he does have restrictions to be mindful of. His sloppy eye discipline, lack of transitional quickness, tight hips and modest long speed will be problematic at the next level. In addition, for a corner with such impressive moments as a tackler and in coverage, the reluctance that sometimes shows up in run support is disappointing. Johnson has enough tools to develop, but growth is needed for him to be more than a matchup and scheme-specific option.”

He should have time and opportunity to grow in Chuck Pagano’s defense, particularly behind the likes of Fuller. Johnson will very likely compete with Kevin Toliver for the starting spot at corner, and his instincts alone should give him a fair shake.

NFL.com nicely articulates why Johnson could wind up being a sneakily good pick for the Bears, calling him a “Boundary bully with an improving skill set to clamp down on WR1s and limit their exposure to the football. Johnson is built for press, with the size, length and athleticism to force receivers to work harder getting into their routes. His eagerness to stay tight to the route leads to inconsistent balance and positioning from time to time, but his foot quickness and agility allow for rapid recoveries. He’s equipped to play the deep ball but needs to fully prove himself in that area. He’s a physical press corner with off-man ability whose anticipation and ball skills should continue to help him make plays as a CB1 and first-round pick.”

Johnson does have an injury history that may also raise a few eyebrows, but it’s nothing too serious. He is less than two months removed from right shoulder surgery, an injury that hampered him all of last season. Still, Johnson’s toughness and grit were both evident in how he handled that injury in and of itself.

Doug Hendrickson, Johnson’s agent, revealed that Johnson fought and played through a torn labrum he got back in September. “He wanted to play for his team last season and not let them down. The guy’s tough as nails for fighting through that the whole year, and he wanted to compete at the combine at the highest level.” Johnson participated at the combine this year, and he had surgery immediately afterwards.

Here’s a look at a few of Johnson’s highlights while at Utah:

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