Antonio Johnson brings a unique skill set to the table, says PFF

Pro Football Focus is one of the premier NFL Draft coverage publications, proving in-depth analysis and detailed analytics. Today PFF provided their analysis and thoughts on Texas A&M star safety Antonio Johnson.

They had high praise for Johnson, saying he is the perfect for the modern versatile defensive back.

“Antonio Johnson is the new age slot corner in the NFL. At 6-foot-3, he can shut down the windows underneath and then easily close to ball carriers in the run game with a wide tackle radius. Watching him knife into the backfield to stick running backs or receivers on screens is a thing of beauty. He routinely beats blockers to the spot. Johnson was a high-level slot cornerback in his two seasons starting for the Aggies. There’s no reason to think that can’t continue in the NFL.“

Johnson appeared in 28 total games in his three seasons for Texas A&M, starting over 20 of them. At defensive back, Johnson was responsible for 164 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, eight pass deflections, four forced fumbles, two sacks, and interception. He was truly a do-it-all player. 

In 2022, his junior season, Johnson tallied 71 tackles and five tackles for loss in nine games. He also forced three fumbles. 

Johnson, a former four-star prospect, signed with the Aggies in the 2020 class. He was rated as the No. 59 overall prospect and No. 2 safety prospect in the nation.

Johnson’s numbers a the NFL Combine 

Measurements

• HEIGHT: 6-foot-2
• WEIGHT: 198 lbs
• ARM: 32 1/8’’
• HAND: 9 3/4’’

Drills

• 40-Yard Dash: 4.52 seconds (t-8th)
• 10-Yard Split: 1.57 seconds (t-13th)
• Vertical Jump: 31’’ (t-17th)
• Broad Jump: 9’ 10’’ (t-15th)

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft takes place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event location this year is the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft broadcast runs throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. One hundred underclassmen gained approval for last year’s draft. Seventy-three of those 100 underclassmen received special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.