The Miami Dolphins used a late first round pick acquired from the Denver Broncos in exchange for Jaylen Waddle to draft San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson during the 2026 NFL Draft in order to bolster their depleted secondary. According to new head coach Jeff Hafley, Johnson has been quite impressive during his short time with the club.
Speaking with the South Florida media earlier this week, Hafley had this to say about Johnson’s acclimation to the professional game thus far.
“He’s done a really
nice job. He is very instinctual. He sees the game very fast. He works really hard in the meeting rooms. He’s super athletic — has really good coverage ability. He’s been able to get his hand on the football.”
As a hopeful building block in Miami’s new-look defense, Johnson has been tasked with mastering multiple elements of what makes a secondary player successful.
“We’ve asked him to do a lot, and he’s handled it very, very well — which is what I kind of told [the media] maybe a week or two ago. We’ve thrown a lot on his plate and he’s responded. I’m really excited to continue to coach him… He’s got a good energy about him and he’s mature — you’ll see it — he’s really mature for a rookie.”
If the Dolphins are to expedite their latest rebuild attempt, Johnson becoming a star in Hafley’s secondary would go a long way towards accomplishing that goal. We will continue to keep an eye on Johnson and the rest of Miami’s young roster as the offseason continues to roll on.
