The 2022 draft is full of top shelf edge rush talent. Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux are fighting to be the top pick of the draft. There are other talents such as George Karlaftis, Travon Walker, David Ojabo, Logan Hall, and Cameron Thomas who could all go in the first round as well.
A position this loaded could allow a very talented player to fall further then they should. Jermaine Johnson II could be that player this time. He showed his talent at Florida State as a redshirt senior. Getting his college start in the junior college (JUCO) ranks, before transferring to Georgia as a rotational player is one reason he could fall below other prospects in the edge rush class, also his Senior Bowl week may have dampened the chances he slides to the Dallas Cowboys at pick No. 24.
The Cowboys definitely have a need at the edge spot. Randy Gregory and Dorance Armstrong are free agents. Even if one or both are re-signed, Demarcus Lawrence is on a big contract that could make him a cap casualty sooner rather than later. Dallas could look to save money one way or another by adding an early edge prospect to be a future starter on the team. Hutchinson and Thibodeaux might be gone too early, but Johnson could be the answer.
Measurables and Stats
Listed Height: 6-foot-5
Listed Weight: 265 pounds
Games Played in 2021: 12
Jersey Number: 11
Film Study Information
Games Watched: Alabama (2020), Notre Dame (2021), Clemson (2021), Miami(FL) (2021)
Best Game: Notre Dame (2021)
Worst Game: Miami(FL) (2021)
Strengths
Johnson plays the run game with a high level of intelligence, picking up what the offense is trying to do and attacking it. His length allows him to hold off blockers, shed the block, and bring down the ball carrier. This was evident by his 70 overall tackles and 17.5 tackles for a loss his last season at Florida State. That’s 25 percent of his total tackles going for a loss.
Edge rushers don’t get drafted in the first round because of their run stopping ability, though.
Johnson added 11.5 sacks his final season, and he has many tools to succeed when rushing the quarterback. He can win with his get off. The first step is not a false step often, and that get off allows him to win the corner and flatten well enough for it to be a weapon offensive tackles must honor at the NFL level.
He isn’t a burner around the outside, so he needs other ways to win in order to be a double-digit sack guy regularly. This is where his length, hands, and pass rush moves come in to play. His length gets him into the offensive lineman quickly, he has hands that are hard to move off of the player he’s engaging with, and even when he is stopped early on, he plays through the whole snap making blockers engage for the entire play at top level effort.
Johnsons biggest strength is his versatility. Ideally, he’d play as a 4-3 defensive end. While at Georgia though he was a 3-4 edge rusher and played ok in coverage zones in his limited opportunities. He could set an edge or add pass rush at either spot, but also could move inside in a nascar-style package on third down pass-rush situations.
Weaknesses
Johnson has a few issues that could knock him down the board early in Round 1. A GPA of under 2.0 put him in the JUCO league to start his college career. He transferred to Georgia but was limited to a rotational player. Even though he gave possible No. 1 overall pick Evan Neal all he could handle in 2020, the fact remains he has only played one season as a college starting defensive end.
On the field he is a pretty complete prospect but limited in some ways. He has a good get off, but it’s inconsistent. He has only moderate flexibility, which limits his wins around the corner to when he hits on his first step on the snap of the ball. While plenty strong, he isn’t overpowering, relying some on his length to help mitigate issues with stronger offensive tackles.
Conclusion
Johnson II is a hard prospect to poke holes in. He has a complete game for a defensive end at the college level and projects well to the NFL game. He has the requisite size, length, ability, football instincts, and motor to be a plus starter in the league. His tools put him in the mold of Cowboys edge rusher Demarcus Lawrence. Excellent edge setter, with enough of a pass rush presence that he could be a top sack guy for a team. He had already won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, was named First-Team All-ACC, and after an excellent showing throughout Senior Bowl week, fans shouldn’t be surprised if he jumps up boards, and solidly into the first round of the draft.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or at Youtube on the Across the Cowboys Podcast.
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"complete" - Google News
February 20, 2022 at 05:44AM
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Jermaine Johnson II has tools to be complete edge rusher, potentially for Cowboys - Yahoo Sports
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