Cornerback. Cornerback. Cornerback. Green Bay Packers fans have been calling for the team to take the position seriously, and it sounds like they finally are.
Let's be honest: You or I could've started on the boundary for the Packers last season. Yet despite the Packers' glaring need at the position for several years now, general manager Brian Gutekunst has done little to fix it. Not only that, but Gutekunst doubled and tripled down on his confidence in the current group.
It seems that the Packers have finally realized the need for reinforcements, and, specifically, they have their eye on San Diego State's Chris Johnson. According to ESPN's Matt Miller, Johnson is high on their list ahead of this month's draft.
"I'll echo the cornerback talk. The Packers have been widely connected to the second tier of corners in this class since the Senior Bowl," writes Miller. "Chris Johnson (San Diego State) has plenty of fans in the team's scouting department, from what I've heard."
Packers' rumored interest in Chris Johnson should be music to the fans' ears
Johnson offers true CB1 potential and would go a long way to fixing the Packers' biggest need on defense. There's a reason why he has been mocked to Green Bay so frequently, and also why he is a popular pick among Packers fans.
The real question is whether he falls as far as No. 52, which is when Green Bay will pick for the first time. The Packers don't own a first-round pick, having sent it to the Dallas Cowboys in the trade for Micah Parsons.
Johnson currently sits at No. 42 on the consensus board, which could force the Packers to trade up to have any shot at drafting him. And all it takes is one team picking late in the first round to prefer him to other cornerback options for the Packers' dream to go up in smoke.
But if Johnson falls far enough, our wish for a top cornerback addition could finally come true.
The San Diego State product checks every box. Gutekunst prioritizes athleticism throughout the draft, particularly in the early rounds. Johnson provides that with an elite 9.84 Relative Athletic Score following his outstanding combine performance.
Johnson participated in the Senior Bowl, which the Packers also care about, and he enters the league with strong college production. Green Bay needs to force more turnovers in the secondary. Johnson's four interceptions (including two pick-sixes) last season show he has that ability.
The Packers could go in several directions when they hit the clock at No. 52 overall (or trade up), and much will depend on how the board falls. That's the reality of life without a first-round pick.
Johnson could potentially fall into their range, and he would be a dream second-round pick. It sure sounds like the Packers agree.