Houston Texans quick reaction NFL Draft grades 2019: Lonnie Johnson
CB. Houston Texans. LONNIE JOHNSON. B+.
The Houston Texans had consecutive picks in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and the first of those two picks went to the secondary.
After a bit of a wait since their first-round pick, the Houston Texans were back at it on Friday night by selecting Lonnie Johnson from Kentucky with the 54th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, adding to their secondary, which was much-needed.
Houston drafted for a big need on their roster with the 54th overall pick, adding him to a draft class which already included offensive tackle Tytus Howard, the Texans’ first-round pick at 23rd overall.
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Drafting Johnson is big for the Texans because they needed to add to the secondary in the worst way because they’ve lost some veterans at the position after not re-signing them in free agency.
The former Kentucky Wildcat cornerback stands at 6-2 and weighs in at 213 pounds, Johnson had a second-round projection by NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein, but he did write he expects Johnson to become a starter in the NFL.
In reading about Johnson, he’s not the most polished cornerback in this draft, but many believe he has the athleticism to become a solid player in the league. The Texans have gained a player who in his last game of his collegiate career against Penn State totaled four tackles, and three of those were solo tackles.
For his final collegiate season, Johnson totaled 23 tackles (17 solo) with one forced fumble and one interception, along with four passes defensed. In another big-time game, Johnson fared well against the Georgia Bulldogs as he had another four-tackle game (two solo).
The depth chart for the Texans at cornerback also includes: Aaron Colvin, Johnathan Joseph, Johnson Bademosi, Jermaine Kelly and Deante Burton.
Next. Texans NFL Draft grades 2019: Tytus Howard. dark
This was a must-needed pick by the Texans and one they should be happy with drafting in the later stages of the second round. As always, time will tell with this draft choice, but improvement was made at cornerback, and that is all that can be asked for.