Tao Johnson S UCLA |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Tackling is a real problem, with fourteen misses on the year
• Run defense lags for a downhill, near-the-line role
• Open-field finishing has to tighten up considerably going forward
• Ball production is modest for the heavy snap count

Scouting Report: Summary

Johnson is a fast, durable safety who logged 802 snaps as a full-season starter for Utah, pairing rare timed speed with holds up in man and zone alike. He closes on throws from depth, snared an interception against Kansas, and broke up four passes with the burst to drive on routes. The speed, the coverage flexibility, and the every-down durability give him a projectable back-end identity, and the experience against Big 12 competition is a track record to build on.

The finishing is the loud flaw. His tackling is a real problem with fourteen misses, his run defense lags for a downhill role, and his open-field finishing has to tighten considerably. His ball production is modest for the heavy snap count. He is a coverage-and-speed safety whose tackle reliability and run support drag the profile and have to improve for an every-down NFL role.

The appeal is the speed and the coverage flexibility, a developmental safety whose finishing is the swing factor on the grade. The missed tackles and the run-game limits keep the grade measured, but the range and the durability are bankable. He grades on Day 3 as a coverage-leaning safety who has to clean up the tackling to stick as a starter, with the coverage speed the clear selling point.