HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 205

HAND: 8⅞"

ARM: 32⅞"

WINGSPAN: 80½"

40-YARD DASH: 4.64

3-CONE: 6.71

SHUTTLE: 4.22

VERTICAL: 38.5"

BROAD: 10'9"

POSITIVES

— Excellent size and length for a cornerback. Has long arms and filled-out frame.

— Powerful tackler. Puts entire weight into hits with a purpose, causing big collisions.

— Physical taking on blocks to make plays on ball-carriers in space or at line of scrimmage.

NEGATIVES

— Has trouble with pad level and transitioning. Can be slow out of his break, especially from backpedal.

— Lacks ideal top-end speed and gives up long shots by crossing his feet, causing half- or full-step advantage for WR.

— Lacks recovery speed. Occasionally falls for double-moves/stop or comeback routes from head fakes, causing overruns in coverage downfield.

2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 57 TOT, 1 TFL, 6 PD, 1 INT, 1 FF

NOTES

— Born March 29, 2000

— 28 career starts

— Unrated recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports

—2021 first-team All-Ivy League

— 2021 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week

— Transferred from Dartmouth to Houston after 2021 season

OVERALL

Isaiah Johnson is a lengthy cornerback who transferred from Dartmouth to Syracuse in 2021. He became a team captain at Syracuse and started every game of the 2023 season.

Johnson does a great job of using his length, especially in the run game. He uses his length and physicality to take on blocks and quickly disengage. He fights off contact with a strong base and strikes at blockers' chest on contact, bringing power behind strikes to free up the ability to make a play. When tackling, he's able to play in the box, where he fills running lanes and cuts down ball-carriers with physical hits.

Johnson may lack ideal top-end speed in coverage, but he does a great job when playing in zone, especially Cover 2. He plays the ball well when he's in phase with receivers, getting his hand in the catch point and disrupting passes.

In man coverage, Johnson often shows good patience at line of scrimmage. He has the lateral quickness to mirror as a defender and maintains hip-to-hip coverage across the route tree, especially on deep throws and intermediate routes.

Ultimately, Johnson has the ideal size for an NFL cornerback. He's a powerful tackler with the ability to play press or off-man coverage. Switching to safety might benefit his chances of making an NFL roster due to his subpar play speed.

GRADE: 6.3 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 144

POSITION RANK: CB17

PRO COMPARISON: Hamsah Nasirildeen

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

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