Sleeper Alert

[Marino2.0]

Jerry Rice ran a 4.7, and later was very competitive in the NFL's Fastest Man races. The utility of the athletic testing is to try to determine if it matches what you see, and revisit your evaluation if it doesn't. And if your evaluation is based on 40 time, you are missing some significant data points. It's also fair to question whether Johnson was completely healthy when he ran his 40, and whether he looks like a 4.64 guy in pads, because that's the only time it matters. From what I've seen, the main thing working against him is his age.

There are always exceptions. Nothing is impossible. But the odds are not good that a cornerback who runs a 4.64 is going to become a quality starter in the NFL. In fact, the odds are not good that he’ll stick on the 53-man roster at all, at least not as a boundary corner.

I’m no psychic. We’ll see. I’m not optimistic.

 

[hoops]

Guy ran a 4.64 at the combine.

Looks slow on that highlight too on the int return part.

 

[hoops]

There are always exceptions. Nothing is impossible. But the odds are not good that a cornerback who runs a 4.64 is going to become a quality starter in the NFL. In fact, the odds are not good that he’ll stick on the 53-man roster at all, at least not as a boundary corner.

I’m no psychic. We’ll see. I’m not optimistic.

That speed might work in cover 2 I doubt it works in anytbing else scheme wise

 

[hoops]

So did Richard Sherman!

A cover 2 and cover 3 guy

 

[derek]

Please enlighten me... Jerry Rice knew the plan the DB had to react, every time. He was also cut last year even after a pretty good camp. I like the guy but he's not the immediate answer. Those guy's make the team.

I'm not sure what you mean by enlighten - are you asking me which other data points? Loose hips, short area burst, back peddle, hands, smarts, and frame would be some of the other factors that I'd consider very important for a corner. Long arms and a willingness to tackle are 2 of my other favourite attributes. Some factors are mitigated or made more important by scheme, obviously. So a sub-optimal 40 is not ideal, but hardly the entire picture.

In terms of Johnson in particular, I agree. I wasn't disputing that he's a long shot. Unfortunately, we have a slew of guys in the same boat, and not a whole lot of certainty. Given his age, IMHO Johnson will have to really stand out to stick. Sounds like he did that much early.

Edit: looked him up in Simon's guide from that year. There was no recent injury impacting his 40, and Simon saw him as stiff, but a good tackler. Predicted he would be best at Safety, coming downhill with the play in front of him.

 

[eMCee85]

Bonner is my sleeper guy too

Lol, you mean like last year?

 

[Manning]

Lol, you mean like last year?

Last yr we had legit starting corners. This yr it’s just a bunch of young inexperienced guys competing

 

[hoops]

Bonner is my sleeper guy too

On the list of things I’ve learned over the years…

Never bet on a white corner is way up there

 

[MiaFins31]

Lol come on now yall…

Isaiah Johnson?
Ethan Bonner?
Jason Maitre?

These dudes are scrubs. Just bc we’re going to have to play them doesn’t mean they’re actual starting caliber or even backup caliber bc none are.

The fact that we’re staring at having to put any of these guys on the field at all says more about how Miami has built this roster than it does about any of these scrubs being able to play.

Throw Cam Smith in there to. If he could play… he would have been starting by now. At this moment in time… we have the worst secondary in the league and it’s not close.

 

[JamesWsenior]

Lol come on now yall…

Isaiah Johnson?
Ethan Bonner?
Jason Maitre?

These dudes are scrubs. Just bc we’re going to have to play them doesn’t mean they’re actual starting caliber or even backup caliber bc none are.

The fact that we’re staring at having to put any of these guys on the field at all says more about how Miami has built this roster than it does about any of these scrubs being able to play.

Throw Cam Smith in there to. If he could play… he would have been starting by now. At this moment in time… we have the worst secondary in the league and it’s not close.

Maitre is out for the year

 

[MrClean]

With both corner spots currently up for grabs, Johnson has a shot. The training camp reports on him last year were positive.

Can he take the next step?

Well, I seem to recall last year they tried to convert him to safety. He was 98% a boundary corner in college. This year, it appears as if they have him competing at corner, so the safety experiment must be over with.
Between him, Marshall, and Adams, it appears they want physical corners capable of playing press coverage, even if they are sacrificing a little on pure speed. Sheffield's forte coming out of college was also press coverage. Cam Smith was also a very capable press corner in college. Going back a ways, Artie Burns was also best known for his press coverage coming out of college. Bump Cooper was also known for his press ability and being able to stay in phase.

 

[MrClean]

So did Richard Sherman!

Sherman ran a 4.60 at the Combine and a 4.53 at his Pro Day. But his cone times were excellent. 6.82 and 6.72.

 

[MrClean]

Guy ran a 4.64 at the combine.

6.71 three-cone at his Pro Day. Cones that are well under 7.00 are excellent.

 

[tay0365]

That was his time without pads, but how big a difference is his time with pads?

How good is his reaction time in pads?

How good are his coverage instincts?

These are questions that make a DB with slow time much better then expected, and a DB with a fast time, much worse then expected.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Well, I seem to recall last year they tried to convert him to safety. He was 98% a boundary corner in college. This year, it appears as if they have him competing at corner, so the safety experiment must be over with.
Between him, Marshall, and Adams, it appears they want physical corners capable of playing press coverage, even if they are sacrificing a little on pure speed. Sheffield's forte coming out of college was also press coverage. Cam Smith was also a very capable press corner in college. Going back a ways, Artie Burns was also best known for his press coverage coming out of college. Bump Cooper was also known for his press ability and being able to stay in phase.

I like that. Zone has its place, but the great quarterbacks typically have little trouble with it. I'm sure Miami will use both, but agree it looks like the team wants guys who can press.