STRENGTHS
Johnathan reminds me a lot of Los Angeles Rams S/LB Mark Barron. He has a linebacker’s mentality in a safeties body. He has the speed and the athleticism to cover but what he wants to do…what he needs to do…is tackle. Johnathan has enough change of direction skills to cover the bigger receivers in the slot. He has the “attack the line of scrimmage” skills, to blitz and get into the backfield and make open field tackles. He has the speed to go sideline to sideline to make tackles and he has the communicating skills to work well with his teammates. Johnathan has the talent to be used as a hybrid safety/linebacker and that means in the right system he can become a core player for the team that selects him.
CONCERNS
Johnathan could be a pure safety if he wanted to be, the problem is he’s plays safety like a linebacker getting fooled with play action and when in coverage, looking to early into the back field instead of reading the receiver and covering him. Johnathan is always looking for the big play and at the next level that will put him on the bench because QB’s and OC’s will take advantage of his aggressiveness. If he wants to be a linebacker, he better bulk up, shed blocks quicker and let the play come to him more. If he wants to be a safety he has to increase his football IQ and use his athleticism to cover better. Right now, Johnathan is a tweener and a tweener does not get to play very much except maybe on special teams.
TALENT BOARD ROUND 3.67
The only way to get Johnathan to be a good safety is to change his mentality and make him a free safety. That’s right keep him off the line of scrimmage and not near the line of scrimmage. Make him think pass first, run second. Right now, it’s all about playing the run and then, the tackle for Johnathan but he is not near big enough to play up near the line on every play to do that. If Johnathan wants to be a hybrid LB/S he has to gain 20 more pounds of muscle without losing any quickness or speed. That being said, there is no doubt in my mind that he has the speed and size to be an outstanding safety if he just believes more in his coverage skills. He needs to keep the play in front of him as most safeties do but he does well in coverage when he concentrates on covering. Johnathan wants to make the big, impacting, open field tackle behind the line of scrimmage but he doesn’t realize all the interceptions and big hits he could be making down the field if he just believes more in his coverage skills. At least that’s how I see it. Johnathan may have the mindset of a linebacker but he has the skills and size of a pure safety if he just sees it. As a safety he fits a lot of different defensive schemes, as a hybrid LB/S he only fits a few and the percentages to fail will be higher. So, it’s up to him, can he reset his thinking to pass first, run second and be a very good safety? I hope so because that’s what I believe he needs to do to keep him in the NFL past his first contract.
