Kevin Johnson - Houston Texans' first round (#16 overall) pick in 2015 NFL Draft

You know, because it's YOUR dog, get it?

 

Really want a line backer

 

Oh we GOT it.

 

There are studies done that demonstrate that the single biggest indicator of success for a cornerback is the 4o time. (all the other stuff matters, but if you only get to pick one...)

Here's a good article:
http://thedctimes.com/2012/03/using-40-yard-dash-to-predict-cornerback-performance-in-nfl/

Long story short, 4.4 tends to be a pretty significant cut off point. It's easy to say something like 40 times don't matter, but only a handful of cornerbacks have ever been good with a 4.5+ time.

 

If Clowney steps up this year then we nailed this Pick like a dried up burger hanging in our left Nostril.

 

I've been reading more and more and I have less faith that this guy can be a shut down corner with his speed. Scouting reports on him reference that his speed seems to bother him as well as he gives too much cushion to fast guys and takes penalties on guys getting by him.

 

I'm not familiar with him but CB was/is a need. He probably won't start this year but he will be valuable in the dime and next year when texans have to replace Joseph. I can see the argument for taking an LB but I think from a value perspective the drop off from CBs is greater than the drop off of LBs.

Looks smooth and changes direction really well while still maintaining speed. Seems to play the ball very well.

I don't put too much weight (no pun intended) on his slight size. He will naturally put on a few lbs. Plus there are plenty of "lanky" CBs .

Speed, even though he ran a 4.5 he was still 15th amongst CBs at the combine. Maybe he's not a great straight line runner but his quickness in and out of cuts will be more valuable down in and down out.

Tackling - there were certainly some bad tackle highlights but i've also seen a few where he didn't shy away. If he's an average tackler, i'm more than happy so long as he is an above average cover guy.

 

Yup, Richard Sherman is just always getting beat because of his 4.56 speed.

 

Richard Sherman is 1 example of an elite CB with 4.5+ speed. He also happens to play in a zone system where he gets to sit on one side of the field and not worry about being matched against the best receiver AND he has elite pass rushing in front of him and elite safety help behind him.

So let's not use him as the norm. I already mentioned him as an exception and that you hope Kevin Johnson can be an exception as well.

Find more.

Most top end CBs have sub 4.5 speed, most are sub 4.44.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kevin Johnson played in all 12 games and allowed just 24 completions all season long. That's an avg of 2 completions per game. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lockdown?src=hash">#Lockdown</a></p>&mdash; NFL on Texans (@NFLOnTexans) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLOnTexans/status/594159223400894464">May 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Oh and by the way, Sherman's weakness IS his speed. The teams that have exploited him have done so by getting guys running on him at angles.

 

^RAC is our DC

that's enough proof for me

 

I think basing everything on a 40 time is pretty short sighted, but what do I know right? Maybe the Raiders approach is right when it comes to CB's and we should ignore everything else about him.

 

If I had to choose between 40 speed and 20 yard/cone speed (or whatever it is), I'd take the 20 yards.

Rarely do guys run 40 yards unabated in the NFL.

Quick routes are the thing that kill you.

A slot speedster getting deep usually means the safety dun goofed, not just that the DB flat got burned.

 

You don't know much about what I've said apparently because I never said base everything on 40 time.

 

Historical analysis says the reverse of what your intuition tells you.

I don't want to get brought down to where it sounds like I'm bashing Kevin Johnson or saying he can't succeed. So for the people who are going to respond now without reading the full context of what I've said, let me state again that I don't hate the pick and I think he has a good shot to be a good player. I just don't think there's much chance of him being an elite CB.

 

His short range speed is near elite. That is usually the most important thing you want speed wise in a CB.

 

Care to share it?

You're right, intuition seems to point to the passing game, especially *today's* passing game, being won or lost in the first 8-10 yards of a route.

 

Fair enough but this

sounds a whole lot like you are basing everything on his 40 time being less than 4.4. Not once do you mention his 20 yard shuffle time or his 3 cone, the ONLY numbers you fixated on were 40 time so it gave the appearance that you were basing your judgement on that alone.

 

I posted the following article once already, but here it is again.

http://thedctimes.com/2012/03/using-40-yard-dash-to-predict-cornerback-performance-in-nfl/

Like I said though, I like his short range speed a lot. He has quick feet and I've already said I think he can be a very good slot corner if nothing else. Handling quick guys in the slot on those quick hitters is a hard thing to do and it's something that we struggle with as a team, so there's no shame in that.