2015 NFL Draft Results: What Kevin Johnson Brings To The Texans

At long last, the moment has finally arrived! With the 16th pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, your Houston Texans have selected Kevin Johnson (CB, Wake Forest).  For those wondering what Johnson - the fourth ranked player overall on my Top 40 Big Board - brings to the table, here is my unreleased abbreviated scouting report:

Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest

Size/bulk ---------------------------------- 7 (6’0", 188 lbs. Almost exactly the same size as Trae Waynes)

Length ------------------------------------- 5 (Short arms at 31"...again, the same as Waynes. Luckily for him, that doesn’t matter as much because he’s a 7 X 1 off-corner and not a press guy)

Footwork --------------------------------- 9 (Phenomenal feet. Low pedal with very quick, controlled steps. T-step and close are elite in this class. Always walls inside first in catch technique and press. Extremely fluid feet that seem like an extension of his consciousness)

Hips ---------------------------------------- 9 (Remarkably loose hips. He can change directions on a dime and transition against double stems and releases instantly)

Eyes/discipline -------------------------- 5 (Very aggressive corner. When he got beat, most of the time it was due to poor eye discipline. Needs to train his eyes to lock in on the hips when in press or catch, and he needs to learn when to be keying the quarterback and when to be securing the route while pedaling. Getting that order correct is crucial, and sometimes he was doing the wrong step at the wrong time because he wanted to make the big play rather than being patient)

Ball skills ---------------------------------- 8 (Good ball skills. Hands are small but he tracks and times his jumps well, and he takes good angles to get himself in position to at least break up the pass if he can’t pick it off)

Speed/quickness ------------------------ 8 (Average long speed, but as an off corner I don’t care as much about that because he shouldn’t – and won’t – be asked to press much and run in trail from the snap. His short area quickness and explosive closing speed are elite, which is far more important for his role. His T-step to close on underneath throws and screens is pretty f***ing ridiculous)

Hand usage ------------------------------- 8 (Good hands for the most part. Love his sling shot to go with fluid hips to get himself back onto receiver’s hip pocket on breaks and stems. He was physical but understood how to keep it within the frame and stay within the rules. Kept hand on the back and not the shoulder pad, so he could motor down on curls and comebacks instantly. Was beat a couple times when he didn’t get his hand in the right spot soon enough, but he has obviously at least learned where to put them already)

Durability ---------------------------------- 10 (41 career starts as a redshirt senior and never missed a game to injury. No health problems whatsoever)

Tackling/Toughness- -------------------- 7 (Aggressive, downhill hitter despite his thin frame. He loves contact. He can’t hold the point against blockers because of said size concerns…especially if it’s a tight end or a lineman in space…but he does his best to work into force position. He won’t shed many blocks, but if he has room to work he’ll come in like a missile on runners in the open field)

Character/leadership ------------------- 8 (Not a captain, but he’s a hard worker and a great kid. Was academically ineligible for sophomore season but he learned from it and grew. I wasn’t a good student either as a freshman, so I don’t care as much about that. He loves the game and wants to be the best. Shouldn’t be any problem in the locker room)

OVERALL ----------------------------------- 84 (Gifted off-cover corner prospect. Average long speed, but he’s an explosive athlete over short areas with fluid hips, lightning quick feet, and an aggressive mentality to get after the ball. Eye discipline still needs work, and that was his biggest problem and the cause of most of his rep losses. He’s also thinly built and couldn’t really disengage against lead blockers on running plays, but in space he was a very aggressive tackler on ball carriers if he could get to them. He might have a little bit of a learning curve at first while he re-trains his eyes, but once he does he’ll be a fantastic corner for a team that likes to run off coverage. Good kid off the field that loves the game and wants to get better)

Some may love the pick, some may hate it, and some may have no idea what to think yet. I happen to be firmly in the "love it" camp. Johnathan Joseph may not be a Texan after the 2015 season, and A.J. Bouye looked less than stellar when forced to match up with top flight receivers like A.J. Green last year when Kareem Jackson went down due to injury. I was under the impression that Bill O'Brien liked a lot of the young depth that Houston has accumulated at the position in Andre Hal, Jumal Rolle, and Darryl Morris, but apparently he didn't like them enough to pass on an excellent talent like Kevin Johnson.

What do you think, BRB? Sound off below while you watch the rest of the first round with SB Nation’s handy dandy draft tracker.