During Iowa's run to the B1G championship against Michigan State, the only two players anybody really knew were Desmond King and CJ Beathard. The big man flying under the radar was defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson. While his name isn't well known among the general public, you can bet NFL know his name in this weak defensive tackle class. Here my evaluation of the former Hawkeye:
Measurables: Height- 6'3''
Weight- 316 lbs
Year:
Senior (22)
2016 stat line:
56 tackles (30 solo), 10 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 2 PDs
2017 Combine Performance:
40-yard dash: 5.38 sec, 10-yard split: 1.92 sec, Bench press: 19 reps, Vertical Jump: 28 in, Broad Jump: 100 in, 3-cone: 7.64, Short-Shuttle: 4.62 sec
Pros: Jaleel Johnson passes the look test. He has 33.25 inch arms to go along with his thick frame, so he has a nice build for the NFL. Against the run, Johnson is a solid tackler and is good at getting penetration in the backfield. His best trait is his bull rush and hand use. They are correctly timed and violent and he is able to toss guards out of his way. Johnson shows these traits against the pass too. He tears through single blockers and swallows quarterbacks hole. Johnson plays with tenacity and he loves big hits. Johnson is also better than advertised at batting down passes.
Cons: Johnson has an inconsistent first step and pad level. Sometimes it's great and he flies off the ball and overpowers his man. Other times he just stands up and eats blocks. Johnson especially struggles with double teams. They drive him back and take him out of the play. Johnson is also over aggressive at times, falling for fakes more often than not.
Pro Comparison: Bennie Logan, DL, Kansas City Chiefs
Bennie Logan was the primary tackle next to Fletcher Cox with the Eagles. He used his penetration skills to stuff the run and rush the passer. He isn't a true 3-4 nose tackle as much of a 4-3 guy who plays the inner most gaps. Jaleel Johnson will play a similar role once he is ready for playing time in the pros.
3 teams that could use him: As mentioned above, the Eagles lost Bennie Logan and now need a replacement. Johnson can come in and compete with Beau Allen and Aziz Shittu for playing time. The Bills will need to eventually replace Kyle Williams, and Johnson makes sense as a compliment to Marcell Dareus. The even if the Browns draft Myles Garrett, they need to address the interior of the defensive line. Johnson is a young player with substantial upside. That is exactly what the Browns need.
Conclusion: Jaleel Johnson is a good defensive tackle prospect who is best when he is able to use his hands and get penetration. If he can be consistent from a physical and mental perspective, he could be a star. I think he will hear his name called in round 2 or 3.
Stats from www.sports-reference.com, Combine Data from FanRag sport combine data tracker
No comments:
Post a Comment