How does Kevin Johnson fit with Houston Texans?

By Luis Tirado Jr. | May 8, 2015

The Houston Texans filled a need on their defense in the first-round of the 2015 NFL Draft. With the No. 16 overall pick, the Texans selected cornerback Kevin Johnson to help bolster their defensive secondary and further push the team into being a playoff-contending team come next season. As one of the top cornerbacks in the draft, the Texans will now be able to deploy a formidable defensive secondary with the solid skill-set of what Johnson brings to the table.

At 6’0″ and 188 pounds, Johnson excels in man-to-man coverage while being a true force to reckon with. He can easily throw off receivers trying to run specific routes and has an incredible amount of athleticism.

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With decent skills in zone coverage, the Texans believe he can be an instant starter next season and bring the kind of production necessary to have a true shut-down defense. Considering how well he did in college, it’s no surprise why the Texans knew this was a no-brainer pick.

At Wake Forest, Johnson contributed 189 tackles, seven interceptions and three forced fumbles. Don’t let his weight fool you as he was able to be all over the field and disrupt passes with ease and precision.

How does he exactly fit with the Texans? Well, right off the bat he will provide quality depth and also definitely see some playing time throughout next season. Projected starters Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson should see the majority of playing time while new defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel will utilize Johnson’s strengths in specific defensive plays.

Reason being, Johnson isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination and will need some coaching and training before he develops into a starting quality cornerback. The Texans definitely needed to add speed and talent to the positional group while grooming a future starter at cornerback. They got both with selecting Johnson.

Johnson will need to work on his tackling techniques and bulk up a little bit more to withstand the transition of playing in the pros. Crennel will also have to work on Johnson’s defensive instincts as too many times at Wake Forest, he was easily falling for fake pump passes and play-action plays.

Nov 2, 2013; Syracuse, NY, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons cornerback Kevin Johnson (9) warms up prior to a game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Receivers also were easily able to deceive him and hauled in passes while he was trying to figure out where the football was going to end up. These are easy things to fix as the Texans will surely put him in a position to succeed while easing him into their starting lineup.

Despite his flaws, Johnson should definitely thrive with the new style of defensive scheming that Crennel will incorporate on defense. He should fit in nicely and also do his part to contain the best the AFC South has to offer, namely Andrew Luck and his Indianapolis Colts.

Overall, the Texans filled a need on defense and will look to deploy Johnson when he’s ready to contribute with his abilities to make big defensive stops and keep receivers in check for the most part. He should evolve nicely over time until he’s ready to take the position by the horns and be a reliable starter for years to come.

Next: Houston Texans: 2015 NFL Draft Grades

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