I’ve always admired NFL scouts who have the patience to sift through all the workout numbers of draft prospects while trying to find the best players.
But just because you can run fast or jump high doesn’t mean you can play in the NFL. And you don’t have to shine at the scouting combine to play in the league.
The Broncos are interested in Iowa State’s Leonard Johnson, a cornerback who wasn’t a combine star last month. He ran 4.6s in the 40-yard dash, and some scouts called that “horrible” speed.
But in the Big 12 Conference, Johnson played against the top wide receiver on this year’s draft board — Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon — and did well. Johnson made an interception last season against the Cowboys, helping the Cyclones pull off a 37-31 upset of the eventual Big 12 champions.
Johnson has good balance and footwork, so he doesn’t need great speed to play well. He could help an NFL team in coverage of slot receivers as well as wideouts going downfield. He appears to be more comfortable in zone coverages than many of his peers because he knows where to channel receivers and where his help is located.
Johnson made 43 starts in his Iowa State career, so he has a lot of experience in the secondary. And as a freshman, the 5-foot-10, 202-pounder from Clearwater, Fla., set a major-college record by gaining 319 yards on nine kickoff returns in a game against Oklahoma.
There are better athletes than Johnson awaiting the April 26-28 draft, but Johnson could be a better NFL player than a lot of them.
Jeff Legwold: jlegwold@denverpost.com
