Johnson was projected to be a second round pick but will fill a defensive need for the Dolphins.
Chris Johnson is looking to be the 6th best Cornerback in the 2026 draft. Projections show him as the 39th overall pick as the League is looking to shore up their respective defensive secondaries. His overall talents helped elevate him to the 27th pick this season. Johnson brings tremendous skills to the Dolphins. Last season he had four interceptions and returned two for scores. He has quick, sharp instincts
with a laser focus break on the ball. He is able to quickly diagnose routes coming at him and determine where to go. One feature on tape shows him with the ability to look off one receiver and break to the one who is receiving the pass. He also is extremely physical, showing the ability to knock or wrestle away the ball from the receiver. He has great instincts tracking the ball once the quarterback has released it. He has excellent speed, clocking a 4.40 in the 40. This allows him to catch any receiver making a vertical run. He also uses his speed to recover and catch up, utilizing his speed and strength to play physical contact. At 6’0 and 193 pounds he shows the ideal size for an aggressive corner.
Johnson spent four years at San Diego State, choosing to stay instead of jumping to the portal. Kudos to him for his loyalty. In 2022 he was named the team’s outstanding freshman, playing in 12 games. While mostly a special teams player, he made his mark with snaps in those games, recording a total of six tackles as well as immeasurable experience. As a sophomore in 2023 he was named the special teams player of the year while playing in all 12 games. He recorded 30 total tackles, including 15 solo stops. He achieved many firsts including pass breakups, forced fumble and interception. During his junior year in 2024, he achieved all-Mountain West honorable mention. He tied for the league lead with forced fumbles. He started in all 12 games for the Aztecs, totaling 757 snaps. He was second on the team with tackles with 67. He added four pass breakups and an interception with a 42 yard return. His senior season was full of many postseason awards, being named to six All-American teams including several first team and second teams honors. He was the conference co-defensive player of the year, joining three other Aztecs who achieved that honor (Kirk Morrison, Damontae Kaze and Cameron Thomas). In the season, he recorded 49 tackles, four interceptions with two returned for scores, nine pass breakups, three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. He was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in the country. He led the defensive, holding seven opponents to seven or fewer points. He was tied for the lead with the top graded cornerback in the country. He ended his career with 152 total tackles, six interceptions and 20 pass deflections. His athleticism and physical play are well suited for play in the NFL and he has now become the latest Aztec to be taken in the first round.
