2023 NFL Combine results for former Aggie Antonio Johnson
Another year another NFL combine. Scouts and coaches are going through the annual routine of evaluating athletes at the 2023 NFL scouting combine. Over 300 former college football players filed into Lucas Oil Stadium with the opportunity to make a lasting impression on the NFL teams in attendance.
Antonio Johnson was one of three former Aggies participating in this week’s events. The junior safety is widely regarded as one of the top defensive backs in this draft class and prior to the combine was seen as a potential first-round pick.
Here is a look at the final numbers from the NFL combine for former Aggie Antonio Johnson, including his overall grade and projection.
Measurables
Mar 2, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) speaks to the press at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Height: 6’ 2’’
Weight: 198 lbs
Arm: 32 1/8’’
Hand: 9 3/4’’
40-yard Dash
Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Official time: 4.52 seconds
Johnson’s time was ranked 8th among the safety group.
10-yard Split
Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Official split time: 1.57 seconds
Johnson’s time was ranked 14th among the safety group.
Vertical Jump
Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Official height: 31″
Johnson’s height ranked in the bottom five among the safety group.
Broad Jump
Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Official distance: 9’10″
Johnson’s distance ranked in the bottom five among the safety group.
Score breakdown (via Next Gen Stats)
Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Production Score: 80
Combine SAF Rank: 3rd
Athleticism Score: 59
Combine SAF Rank: 15th
Total Score: 79
Combine SAF Rank: 1st
NFL Combine Grade
Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
NFL Combine Grade: 6.39
Will eventually be plus starter according to the NFL.com grading scale.
Overview
Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Big, athletic safety with versatility to line up over the slot or inside the box for additional run support. Johnson has a strong passion for sticking his nose into whatever is going on near the line of scrimmage.
He’s constantly flowing downhill to meet the play as close to the line of scrimmage as possible, but he needs to regulate his pace and angles to prevent overflowing and poor tackle balance.
Johnson can be overmatched at the top of the route by top-end receivers, but he’s capable of staying with pass-catching tight ends or a receiver with average speed. Johnson is positioned to become a good starter whose best ball will be played near the line of scrimmage. – Lance Zierlein, NFL Analyst
Strengths
Mar 2, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson (DB50) speaks to the press at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Combines pro size with pro physicality.
Level of urgency should bolster any run defense.
Attacks blockers and dislodges quickly.
Puts every bit of his frame into ball-carrier when tackling.
Can play box safety or big nickel.
Able to line up over bigger targets in the slot.
Rapid response to both route breaks and quick game throws.
Transition acceleration keeps him close in man coverage.
Charges through pass-catcher to jar catch loose.
– Zierlein
Weaknesses
Nov 12, 2022; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Antonio Johnson (27)up before the game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Not as consistent a tackler when playing deep.
Comes in hot and will overflow the target point.
Inconsistent coming to balance as an open-field tackler.
Backpedal is upright and lacking bend.
Allows too much cushion from off-man looks.
Cover talent diminishes the deeper he gets.
– Zierlein
