Rory Johnson LB 6' 232 Ole Miss 4.59

Johnson originally signed with Mississippi State before landing at Hinds Community College. After two standout years at the JuCo level, he ended up with the Rebels. In his only season with Ole Miss, Johnson had 94 tackles, three for loss, and .5 sacks on the year.

Johnson played with excellent athleticism, speed, and quickness. It is on display in every facet of his game. Johnson is at his best in coverage, where he has the ability to run step for step with his man, and follow him in and out of breaks. He also shows the speed to really close on the ball carrier once he locates them. Johnson is not just a coverage linebacker, as he shows the toughness to mix it up at the line of scrimmage and plug holes in the running game.

Size is the only thing physically that Johnson lacks. He can be engulfed at the point of attack, and he lacks the height to match up with taller players in coverage. There is also some concern about his ability to make an impact immediately since he only has one year of experience at the D1 level.

Johnson surprised some by declaring early for the draft, but he has the talent to really develop in the NFL. He has all the skills to be a standout weakside linebacker, and could put on a show in individual workouts. Johnson has a chance to land on Day One when all is said and done.