Chicago Bears defensive back Jaylon Johnson put up the best single-game numbers of his career in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles and turned some heads with his exceptional performance. Johnson ended the game with six solo tackles, the best mark of his career so far, and an impressive three passes defensed.
The 23-year-old cornerback sits atop the Bears’ depth chart at his position beside rookie Kyler Gordon. The tandem has put together some special games over the course of the season, and showed their potential against the Eagles, holding MVP candidate quarterback Jalen Hurts to just over 300 yards and no touchdowns. Johnson was Chicago’s second-leading tackler in the game behind linebacker Nicholas Morrow, and Gordon came down with an interception.
This duo of cornerbacks on the outside should prove to be a strength of the Bears’ defense in the future, and once the team gets some of the wrinkles ironed out on both sides of the ball, they should be able to contribute to a bounce-back winning season in 2023.
For Johnson, these kinds of performances are to be expected at this point in his career. A second-round selection by the Bears back in 2020, he was a two-time All-Pac-12 first-team selection as a collegian and became one of the most highly coveted prospects in his draft class. He played his college ball at the University of Utah and made an immediate impact for Chicago as a rookie standout.
Watch for Johnson to continue perfecting his craft and making incremental improvements to his game over the course of the last few weeks of the season. His talent is undeniable, and with a little more experience under his belt, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that he could develop into one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks by the time he turns 25 in 2024.
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