Tag: Jaylon Johnson

2020 NFL mock draft: 2-round predictions for Broncos

The Denver Broncos own the 15th and 46th overall picks. How might the first two rounds of the draft shake out for John Elway and company?

The Denver Broncos have nailed the past two drafts. Broncos general manager John Elway and his staff have built a solid foundation with the past two drafts. It’s a foundation that includes Courtland Sutton, Drew Lock, Royce Freeman, Dalton Risner, Noah Fant, Bradley Chubb and Phillip Lindsay, who was signed as an undrafted free agent.

Elway will head into the 2020 NFL draft with five selections in the top 100 picks (pending compensatory selections). With the way Elway has drafted the past two years, the team will have plenty of chances to strengthen that core when April rolls around. Elway also has enough draft capital that he could opt to trade up for a player in the first round or stand pat at 15 and try and trade back up into the first round with four Day 2 picks at his disposal.

On this football Friday, let’s take a look at a two-round Broncos mock draft using my big board. Following the Super Bowl, I will post a three-round Broncos mock draft.

15th overall pick: Javon Kinlaw, DL, South Carolina. Kinlaw would immediately become the anchor of the Broncos’ defensive line. He’d help improve a run defense that finished 13th overall and bolster the interior pass rush. In 2019, Kinlaw recorded six sacks — one year after totaling four sacks in 2018.

46th overall pick: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah. Denver could be losing Chris Harris Jr. this offseason and even if the Broncos opt to bring back the veteran cornerback, they’ll need reinforcements at the position. Last season, Johnson recorded 11 pass deflections and two interceptions.

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Latest Draft Wire mock draft has Seahawks taking defensive tackle

The Seattle Seahawks select a defensive tackle, a guard, and a cornerback in the latest three-round mock draft from Draft Wire.

The Seattle Seahawks have advanced to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs and are all set to take on the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a peek at how the roster could get re-shaped during the 2020 NFL draft.

Despite a stellar 2019 season, Seattle clearly has some holes on its roster, holes that Luke Easterling of Draft Wire believes they will look to fill in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.

In his latest three-round mock draft for Draft Wire, Easterling has the Seahawks picking No. 28, No. 60 and No. 63 overall based on current standings and trades.

With those picks, Seattle is mocked to select Alabama defensive tackle Raekwon Davis, Michigan guard Ben Bredeson, and Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

“Free agency could decimate this defensive line this offseason, so don’t be surprised if the Seahawks opt for cheaper, younger talent in the draft to replace whatever they lose on the open market,” Easterling wrote about Davis. “Davis is huge, athletic, and versatile, and is ready to make an immediate impact.”

Davis is more of a run-stuffer than a pass rusher, which may not make him an ideal fit for a Seattle team that already has Poona Ford in the middle, but if Jarran Reed doesn’t return the team could opt to replace him with another Alabama product in Davis.

Bredeson is projected as a starting guard at the NFL level, and – unsurprisingly – is more of a run-blocker than a pass-protector. With both Mike Iupati and D.J. Fluker potentially free agents after this year (depending if Fluker opts out) the team could certainly use more guard play up front.

Ethan Pocic may slide over to the starting center role, and having Bredeson and Phil Haynes to build around on the interior – not to mention Jamarco Jones, who seems to have transitioned to guard – would be a good start toward building a line Russell Wilson can succeed behind.

Johnson would join Cody Barton and Marquise Blair as former Utes on the Seattle defense, and his length and range as a cornerback will no doubt be attractive to coach Pete Carroll.

Seattle’s depth behind Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers is extraordinarily thin, and while Johnson may need some time to develop he has all the tools to be a legit shutdown corner in the NFL, with the proper molding from Carroll and company.

The Seahawks are no doubt focused on the task at hand against Green Bay on Sunday, but these three players are among the many they will be in on during draft season.

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New 2020 NFL mock draft has Bears addressing OL, CB in 2nd round

In Draft Wire’s latest mock draft, they have the Bears going offensive tackle and cornerback with their two selections in Round 2.

There’s just one game left for the Bears in what’s been a disappointing 2019 season, which means an early start to an offseason that will be pivotal for Chicago’s success in 2020.

General manager Ryan Pace has a lot of work to do, particularly on the offensive side of the football, and he’ll need to lean heavily on his six draft selections to find some future stars at a cheap price. Two of those picks come in the second round, where Pace needs to make them worth his while.

The Bears currently hold the 49th and 50th picks in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, as they got Oakland’s second-round pick (No. 50) in the Khalil Mack trade.

In Draft Wire’s latest mock draft, they have the Bears addressing two needs on offense and defense: Offensive line and cornerback.

With the 49th overall selection, they have the Bears targeting USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson. Jackson has started the past two seasons at left tackle for the Trojans. There are some mock drafts that have Jackson going in the first round, and his quickness and agility at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds is impressive.

Then with the 50th pick, they have Chicago addressing the secondary with Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Johnson has been praised for his physicality and athletic build that allows him to stack up against bigger, physical receivers. He’s developed into a shutdown cornerback in his junior season with the Utes.

The Bears will once again be thin with draft selections this year, as they currently have just six following trades for Khalil Mack and David Montgomery in the past couple of seasons. Chicago has two picks in the second round, one in the fifth round, two in the sixth round and one in the seventh round.

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Eagles land a Pac 12 CB in PFF 2020 NFL Mock Draft

Eagles select Pac 12 CB in PFF 2020 NFL Mock Draft

With Week 17 of the NFL season upon us, 12 teams will start playoff preparation, while 20 other teams will consider personnel changes while preparing for the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Philadelphia Eagles have been linked to cornerbacks and wide receivers since the 2019 NFL Draft ended and in the latest installment of the PFF’s Mock Draft scenarios, the Birds land a physical Pac 12 cornerback from Utah.

21. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — CB JAYLON JOHNSON, UTAH
Johnson has been one of the biggest movers up the PFF draft board this season. He allowed only nine completions from 22 targets for 112 yards over his last seven games in Pac-12 play.

Johnson recently announced that he was entering the 2020 NFL Draft, forgoing his final year of eligibility after a season that saw him named as a repeat selection to the All-Pac-12 first team, announced this week, and he was also named to the Walter Camp All-America second team.

Utah CB Jaylon Johnson declares for 2020 NFL draft

Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson is leaving school early to enter the 2020 NFL draft

Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson has declared for the 2020 NFL draft.

Johnson announced his decision through Twitter.

Johnson is a lengthy, athletic cornerback that had seven takeaways in three seasons as a Ute. One of the best players in the Pac-12 on a weekly basis, Johnson put the clamps on several big name receivers this year.

“These past three years have been some of the best of my life,” Johnson said in his declaration statement. “To each person here that played a part in making me the player and person that I am today: thank you. You mean more to me than I can express.”

His decision comes as no surprise, as he has been seen by many as one of the best cornerbacks in all of college football over the past two seasons.

Johnson’s aggressive nature in man coverage should help him get his name called fairly early come April.

Read our exclusive interview with Johnson here.

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Latest 2020 NFL mock draft doesn’t have Bears drafting a QB in 2nd round

While many mock drafts this year have called for the Bears to draft a QB in round 2, a new mock has Chicago targeting CB and OT.

For the last couple of months, many mock drafts have had the Chicago Bears drafting a quarterback in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Considering the struggles of third-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who didn’t resemble a franchise QB earlier this year, it made sense.

But with Trubisky’s late-season resurgence, where he’s showing signs that maybe he can become the QB the Bears want him to be, some are leaning away from the Bears selecting a QB in the draft — at least in the second round.

After not having a first or second round selection last year, he Bears have two second round picks in the upcoming draft. They currently have the 45th pick (from the Khalil Mack trade with Oakland) and the 50th pick.

Draft Wire has the Bears addressing two other needs in the second round — cornerback and offensive line.

With the 45th pick, they have the Bears taking Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Then, with the 50th selection, they have Chicago taking Tennessee offensive tackle Trey Smith.

The Bears have several needs heading into the offseason, among them cornerback, offensive line, edge rusher and tight end. With the Bears currently tight on cap space and with just six picks currently in the 2020 draft, general manager Ryan Pace will have to get creative.

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4 potential Chargers prospects to watch in Week 14

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez gives you four potential Chargers to watch on Saturday.

It’s Saturday, which means it’s time for another edition of The Scouting Notebook.

The Scouting Notebook features prospects to keep an eye on when the majority of the college games take place. While some think it’s too early to talk about the 2020 NFL draft, there’s never a bad time to talk about the future of the Chargers.

With that being said, here are four prospects to watch for in Week 14.

G Ben Bredeson, Michigan, #74, 9:00 a.m. PT, FOX

The offensive tackle position is seen as a glaring area that needs to be addressed, but the interior part of the offensive line could get revamped. Guard Michael Schofield is an unrestricted free agent after this season and the future of Forrest Lamp is unknown after struggling to stay healthy.

Bredeson, senior and captain of the Wolverines, has plug-and-play traits. He looks the part at 6-foot-4 and 329 pounds and checks the necessary NFL boxes with his athleticism, strength, intelligence as a pass protector and a run blocker.

Through Week 14, Bredeson has 403 pass block snaps and has allowed only five pressures and zero sacks.

Today, Bredeson will be under the microscope of many NFL evaluators as he is set to go up against a stout Ohio State defensive line.

LB Kamal Martin, Minnesota, #21, 12:30 p.m. PT, ABC

Thomas Davis can’t play forever, Denzel Perryman only has one more year under contract after this season and Jatavis Brown is set to become an unrestricted free agent. The Chargers will look to get younger at the linebacker position.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, Martin has terrific length for the position with long arm, in which he uses to discard blockers. He consistently rallies to the ball with ideal ball awareness and aggressive intentions in pursuit.

In four years, Martin has amassed 168 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks nine passes defensed and four interceptions.

WR Chase Claypool, Notre Dame, #83, 1:00 p.m. PT, NBC

At some point this offseason, the wide receiver position will likely be addressed to add a true No. 3 to the mix, and Claypool would be the perfect addition.

Towering at 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds, Claypool is physically imposing, showing the ability to box out, out-physical defenders and handle the ball. While he isn’t a speed demon, he is a possession target to turn catches downfield and always looking to create after the catch.

Whether it’s for Philip Rivers or the quarterback of the future next season, Claypool would supply a big target, who has the ball skills to be a reliable chain-mover.

CB Jaylon Johnson, Utah, #1 4:30 p.m. PT, ABC

The Chargers would solidify their secondary by adding a playmaker opposite of cornerback Casey Hayward, which is why they could look to do so in the first couple rounds.

Standing at 6-foot and 195 pounds, Johnson has a knack for the football, intercepting two passes and deflecting nine. His stats would look more padded, but opposing quarterbacks don’t bother throwing in his direction. Johnson has also shown the ability to make open field tackles.

Johnson has shut down some of the best receivers he’s lined up across, and he will have one of his toughest yet facing Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr., who is touted as one of the top wideouts in this year’s class.

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