#205 - 6th Round - San Francisco, Derrick Johnson, CB, WASHINGTON

[Hostile]

From Philadelphia

49ers select...Derrick Johnson
CB | (5'10", 197, 4.49) | WASHINGTON

[Juke99]

Strengths: Has adequate height and good speed. Is a fluid athlete with the hips and feet to turn and run in coverage. Has very good burst out of his pedal. Takes chances but makes a lot of big plays. Gets some good jumps on underneath routes. Has very good closing burst. Shows excellent hands and overall ball skills. Is a huge threat after the INT and he also has explosive potential and showed flashes early in his career as a KOR specialist.

Weaknesses: Has had durability problems in the past. Still lacks consistency at DC. Makes a lot of big plays but gives up too many. Needs to improve his awareness and become a more disciplined player. Lacks bulk and does not have good overall size. Lets bigger receivers dictate their routes too often. Does not have good overall strength. Is inconsistent in run support. Will give up on plays too easily and does not have great size or strength in that facet of the game. Has not played a significant role in the return game since 2000 season.

Overall: Johnson played every game as a true freshman in 2000 and started three at cornerback. He also led the Pac-10 with 24.2 yards per kickoff return that season. He started all 13 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2002 after missing the entire 2001 season with a foot injury. Johnson started all 12 games as a junior in 2003 (41 total tackles, six INT's and seven PBU) and started the 10 games he played in as a senior in 2004 (51 tackles, zero INT's and four PBU), missing one because of injury. Since suffering the foot injury in 2001, Johnson has played a limited role in the return game but he still has the potential to contribute as a return specialist in the NFL. Johnson improved his consistency at the DC position late in his career but he's still unpolished and will need time to develop in the NFL. He needs to bulk up and get stronger, but does have adequate height and good speed as an NFL prospect. Johnson still has work to do in terms of his technique and awareness, but his playmaking skills are solid and he's fast enough to take a chance on in the late rounds.

* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.