Making Monsters Draft Series: San Diego State CB Chris Johnson

0:00All right. Welcome back to another episode of making monsters. I'm Taylor doll. We're joined by John Schaefer now. Afternoons on sports 760 San Diego sports station and also voice of the asset as the Aztec San Diego State. So John, thanks for hopping on. I know a lot of people already me saying San Diego State know him. We are about to talk about Chris Johnson who is getting a lot of talk here lately leading into the draft. Yeah, I appreciate you having me Taylor. He absolutely is. I think deservedly so. One of the top players in the Matt West and one of the top players if not the top player, one of the best defenses in the country last year. Yeah, I'm super excited to get to know him a little bit more too. I want to I was looking into some things coming from high school. Only a three star player despite when you go back and you look at that senior year numbers for him. Some of the things he was doing at both corner and wide receiver this senior year, a little surprising to me that just notched as that three star. But when

1:00you talk about his story from that and then did not red shirting that freshman year, he played right away. It was, you know, contributed in ways and you saw that growth throughout his time each year, having that full starting role in 2024, then really breaking out and everything coming together in 2025. But chat a little bit about the beginning to this last season and really what you saw from Chris Johnson as he kind of grew and developed. It's interesting because as you know in today's college football, he could have played anywhere and even more so coming off a three and nine season in 2024. I mean, the fact that it didn't leave that alone makes him almost like a statue worthy player in San Diego. And he was I think a linchpin to keep the whole thing together in terms of the other production that they returned in 2025. But it was really from from the first nap of the season. This was just an elite defense in Chris Johnson was a big reason as to why specifically in the secondary. But he's just such a terrific player, whether it's as a cover corner or his hands or what he does in the run game, which is so critically important at San Diego State specifically. So he does everything well, which is

2:03hard to say about most players, but that's kind of who he is. He's just grown along the way. He's taken advantage of opportunities and he excelled in every possible way to the point where, you know, he was he was getting buzzed basically from the time the season started this year. Chatted a little bit about that more when it comes to the defense and that being one of the, you know, one of the best defense when you talk about in that in that conference and him playing a part in that. But what did that defense look like when it comes to schematically and where he fit in? Right four, two, five. And they had some terrific players on it, including an edge rusher, Trey White, who I think is going to receive draft attention next year. He transferred to Texas Tech. He's a San Diego and Owen Shambles was a linebacker in there. He transferred to Nebraska after this 2025 year. And then you had Chris Johnson. There's another player getting draft attention. Bryce Phillips on the opposite side of the play corner that had an outstanding year as well. For San Diego State, their secondary in general was experienced, but you're asked to do a lot. San Diego State for forever, including Chris Johnson's first couple of years was a 335

3:03under Rocky Long and Brady Hoke. One of the most successful 335s by in the history of college football that changed under Sean Lewis, who's now their third year head coach. Actually, Midwest native played Wisconsin out of Chicago land. Actually, Sean Lewis is just 40 years of age, their third year head coach. But again, I think they went through some of those growing pains his first year defensively. And then they became a top 10 defense. But he was asked to do a lot and he was able to do a lot in that system last year. Yeah, when you look at the progress because I was looking at, you know, the bigger, a little bit of a bigger role in 2023 and you really started seeing those, some of those coverage skills really start to shine that year. And then obviously 2024, where he's locked down that, that starting role. When you're talking about some of those moments, when there's a lot of things that these corners are being asked to do now, you're talking about the run, you're talking about coverage, you're talking about getting your hands in the ball. He is one of the corners in the straf that people do label as a ballhawk. So talk about a little bit about that side. Those passes defended some of those things that he did really well there. You know, he has an amazing ability to take top receivers out of games. So he's not getting,

4:07you know, the same number of opportunities. So to speak, as other corners around the country, but when tested, he capitalizes, which is rare. He's only getting so many opportunities. And he oftentimes looks like a receiver as a defensive back. His hands are incredible. His speed is terrific. And he's just a lock down guy in general. But, you know, the six or eight opportunities he had to make a plan a ball. He made those plays and there's more than that when it comes to like passes defended in general. But again, he's not going to miss the opportunity to take advantage. And, you know, there's a lot of, he played some good offenses, you know, I think back to Kyle this past year. He actually, the one game he missed this year is again, the San Diego State really struggled in their secondary, which was at Hawaii Terrific Passing offense. He was banged up in that game. It was a raining, a rain game as well. But he just, you know, without exception, there's not an example of like, well, you know, when he goes up against this P4 receiver or when he goes up against the leap receivers. No, there's no exception. I think he would

5:08have succeeded regardless of, you know, classification, so to speak, if he was playing a Penn State or San Diego State, he would have the same type of year. And I think most people would say the same based on what they saw in film and probably what the combine numbers would suggest as well. Yeah, the testing numbers were great. And then when you go back for people that don't know, he did win co-defensive player of the year for the Mountain West. And my finalist for Jim Thorpe, he had 44 solo tackles this last year for interceptions. Nine passes defended for a forced fumble. And that's on 634 defensive snaps. 16.1 pass a rating allowed against Chris Johnson when he was targeted. That, that is incredible. And you talk about the mental side of the game. That's such a big thing for cornerbacks to be able to process some of this information. You know, when it comes to the line of scrimmage, when it comes to reading the route concepts and the quarterback's eyes, these are all things I've heard people talk very highly about when it comes to the mental side of his game too. He's a great young man. He's got his head on his shoulders. He's, he's a, I mean, and he's just going to, you know, people say this is so cliché,

6:10it's the NFL. Everyone's going to outwork everyone. It's the National Football League. There's a reason why they've gotten there. But I mean, he's just a worker and he's humble and he keeps getting better. And I don't think he's worried about what anyone has to say about him. I just think he's confident in who he is. You know, I don't know exactly what his workout regimen has been. Over the last couple of months, but I know he was at like San Diego State's pro day recently. He didn't necessarily have to do that. He had just done the combined, but he did it with his other like 12 or 13 teammates that were part of that process as well. I was there just randomly during the spring practice within the last week. There he is working out on the side. Again, he's just, I think he's somewhat unique in today's world where he's just a little bit more of a throwback and he's not worried about all the outside noise and about the dollars earned in college. I think he just wants to make his mark. And I think he's proven that you don't have to be at Ohio State to get your after in the first round as a cornerback. You know, if you're talented, they're going to find you. And I think he's going to be a perfect example of that. Yeah, it's funny because two of the guys that I've recently done these, it's Toledo's

7:13a manual McNeil war. And so we're talking about two players that weren't in the SEC or big 10, but are being talked about very highly and people expect them to be able to start on a team pretty quickly in the NFL. Another thing I like about him, John, is the versatility. I know what at San Diego State, he was used on the boundary, I think, for the most part. But at time, he would slide inside even using took reps in the box a little bit. I was reading. And so that versatility, I think, has to be something that some of these NFL coaches have to be looking at also. He can hit, you know, and you look at him. He's a little unassuming, but he's got good size. He really does. He's tall. He's lean, but lean in the right way. He just looks the part, but he is not scared to hit. San Diego State had an elite run defense. He was part of that. He'll hit on the outside as well. But you know, some of those players, you know, they're not going to be involved in the box as much as others, maybe by design or intent, but he's going to hit. And you'll see that. I think we'll see that in the NFL once he's, you know, playing regularly,

8:15that he's not going to be scared to make plays in the run game. So for you, that 194, does it concern you at the next level when it comes to some of these bigger receivers? No, I mean, my guess is, you know, there's probably again, it's still a young person. You probably could still, you know, put on a little bit if necessary. But, you know, in seeing him recently, just seeing how he's developed in the, I think it's really comfortable in his size. And I think he can perform probably in that size. And again, he's, he's got so many of the attributes that just work at the next level. Like, I think it worked really well here. But I think it might even translate better to the next level, which is an interesting thing to say. But I think a lot of teams are recognizing some of the things that we're talking about here today that he does a lot of things well excuse me. And I think he perves some people wrong. Like, what does he actually run in a dead sprint? Like, he does he have the speed that is necessary in the NFL and he went out and ran a four four at the combine. So, and again, I think to some extent that that's unassuming when you watch it sometimes on film, but he makes it look really easy. And I think that will translate. When it comes to, let's say,

9:19because the Bears right now are in an interesting situation when it comes to their cornerback room. They've got Jalen Johnson and Kyler Gordon that look like the, you know, those two solidified their positions on the roster, but Tyree Stevenson has a contract year coming up. So to me, it would look like whatever corner they bring in, it's going to look like a competition for, you know, between Tyree Stevenson and whatever corner they end up bringing in. Does he have that type of mentality too when it comes to being able? Obviously, the way he worked worked up through the system at San Diego State shows a little bit of that, but being open to competition and earning that spot. Yeah, I think so, which unique about San Diego State, I think, is that a lot of their best players are also their best special team performers. Where you think a lot of times around the country in college football, specifically, not in the NFL, that you want to protect your best players and keep them away from special teams. Chris Johnson was a special team standout over his career at San Diego State. So I think that speaks to wanting what's best for the team, not necessarily for the individual. And from a competition perspective, he did it from his true freshman year. It's hard to get on the

10:22field as a true freshman. And he did it, I mean, primarily in special teams, but he also did it in the secondary and San Diego States had a really good track record of getting guys to the next level out of the secondary. There's so many great athletes in Southern California. Chris Johnson is one of those. So, you know, he's played with guys that have had success themselves. He's competed and he's earned jobs. And I think anyone, you know, making the step that he's about to make understands the competition is going to be a part of it. Yeah, I think that's one of the things Ben Johnson would probably love about him because Ben Johnson's been very vocal about, you know, it's really important what you do when the ball's not in your hand also and having that type of mentality. So it'll be really interesting to see where Chris Johnson ends up following your seeing him rise and rise. I saw the Jaguars met with him recently too. And so there's a lot of teams that are getting more and more interested. But John, I appreciate your time. Really cool. Getting to know Chris Johnson a little bit more. So thanks for taking the time out of your dad chat with me. I appreciate it Taylor. Thanks for having me. Thanks. Have a good one.