Sleeper/Steal Alert: Robert Johnson

Sleeper/ Steal Alert

Every year the NFL Draft is littered with Busts and Steals/Sleepers. Steals/Sleepers are what make a team’s draft special and build decision makers reputations. Some of the more famous Steals/Sleepers include Tom Brady (round 6 pick 199), Terrell Davis (round 6 pick 196), and Zack Thomas (round 5 pick 154). But a Steal/Sleeper doesn’t necessarily have to be drafted in the later rounds. An example would be the Green Bay Packers getting Clay Matthews at pick 26 after players like Larry English were selected. Matthews earned a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl after registering 10 sacks in his rookie season.  We are going to examine some of the different sleepers in this year’s draft.

Player:
Robert Johnson- S- Utah

Projected Rounds:
5th- 7th rounds

Thoughts:

Robert Johnson is one of the many safeties getting some attention in the later parts of the draft. Johnson was not invited to the combine but had a good showing at Utah’s pro day. He ran a solid 4.58 40 yard dash and showed fluid hips in position drills. Last season at Utah he had 6 INTs and 70 tackles while playing a good center field for the Utah defense. Johnson has good ball skills and has the speed and ability to make an impact. He is on the smaller side but that doesn’t stop him from supporting the running game. However, his abilities are best suited for playing the center field safety spot. Johnson could get some later round attention and can squeak into a starting lineup, but he should have an impact on special teams.