The Green Bay Packers selected Iowa defensive back Anthony Johnson Jr. in the seventh round (No. 242 overall) of the 2023 NFL draft.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 205
Age: 23
From: St. Petersburg, FL
Breakdown: Highly experienced, versatile defensive back who started four seasons at corner before switching to safety in 2022 and excelling on the backend. Can cover, tackle in space and fill against the run but still learning to do all three from the safety spot. Good range. One of the most experienced special teamers in the class. Made 54 total starts. Team captain, four-time All-Big 12. Played snaps out wide, in the slot, in the box and as a deep split safety. Produced first two picks as a safety in 2022.
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 33, Iowa State DB Anthony Johnson Jr
Brugler’s scouting report: “A five-year starter at Iowa State, Johnson played free safety in defensive coordinator Jon Heacock’s 3-3-5 base scheme, lining up mostly as a nickel in the slot. After four years at cornerback, he transitioned to a hybrid safety-nickel role as a super senior and passed former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy in the record books for the most career starts (54) in Big 12 history. Johnson plays with mirroring range in man coverage and against the run and reads concepts well in zone coverage to fluidly work his area. The ball seems to find him more than he finds the ball, and he is still learning the ins and outs as a true safety. Overall, Johnson might not have a sky-high ceiling at the next level, but his character, experience and functional size/speed traits raise his floor and will keep him earning an NFL paycheck. His game and journey are reminiscent of Rams’ 2019 seventh-rounder Nick Scott.”
Zierlein’s scouting report: “Cornerback turned safety with good athletic traits for the safety position and rare physicality from a former cornerback. Johnson has grown into a safety’s frame but is versatile enough to play near the line of scrimmage or line up over the slot. He moves fluidly with good play speed but is still processing angles and coverage responsibilities at his new position. He will come downhill and hit anything near the line of scrimmage with everything he’s got, but he needs to learn to control his aggression to become a more consistent tackler. Johnson’s traits, versatility and toughness give him a chance to become a starting safety or nickel safety.
They said it: “Go back to the versatility we’re talking about. The one thing that sold us on him was, he was the top of football character as you can possibly get, the way they talk about him there. That was one of those fun calls to make because the wiring was exactly what we were looking for.” — GM Brian Gutekunst
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