Buffalo’s top slot corner looks to improve upon a solid

 Womens Jerry Hughes Jersey , though injury-plagued, rookie campaign" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteBuffalo Rumblingsa Buffalo Bills communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsBillsOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsNotesOpinionAnalysisDiscussionPodcastNFL DraftSalary CapFiled under:90 Players in 90 Days2019 Buffalo Bills scouting report: cornerback Taron JohnsonNew,5commentsBuffalo’s top slot corner looks to improve upon a solid, though injury-plagued, rookie campaignEDTShareTweetShareShare2019 Buffalo Bills scouting report: cornerback Taron JohnsonA clear point of emphasis for the Buffalo Bills since head coach Sean McDermott took over has been the defensive secondary. Buffalo completely overhauled that unit almost immediately, allowing former starter Stephon Gilmore to leave via free agency before trading starter Ronald Darby to the Philadelphia Eagles.Via the draft, the Bills have been able to find some outstanding corners during the McDermott/Brandon Beane era. Those corners all have different pedigrees—early-round picks, undrafted free agents, mid-round picks, big schools, little schools—but they all share one thing in common: a natural affinity for the zone-heavy concepts McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier employ.In our latest installment of “90 players in 90 days,” we look at one of Buffalo’s recent draft choices in the secondary, a player who quickly established himself as one of the better players at his position in the NFL.Name: Taron JohnsonNumber: 24Position: CBHeight/Weight: 5’11” 192 lbs. Age: 22 (23 on 7/27/19)Experience/Draft: 1; drafted in the fourth round (121 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft by the BillsCollege: Weber StateAcquired: Fourth-round draft choiceFinancial situation (per Spotrac): Johnson enters the second year of his rookie contract, a four-year pact that totals $3 www.thebillslockerroom.com/authentic-eddie-yarbrough-jersey ,106,068. In the 2019 season, Johnson carries a cap hit of $731,517. The contract guarantees him $646,068.2018 Recap: Johnson immediately won the job as Buffalo’s top slot corner, and he played well right from the jump. He injured his shoulder while making a tackle in the first week, but he showed incredible toughness by trying to gut out the remainder of the season. He ended the year on injured reserve after undergoing shoulder surgery for that Week 1 injury. Overall, Johnson finished his rookie season having played in 11 games, making two starts. He combined for 42 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, and three pass breakups. Positional outlook: Buffalo added plenty of depth at the corner position this offseason Ramon Humber Jersey , but most of that depth was meant to solidify the outside corner spot across from Tre’Davious White. Levi Wallace, an undrafted rookie out of Alabama, held down that spot last season, and he performed quite well. Free agents Kevin Johnson and E.J. Gaines (the starter opposite White in Buffalo for the 2017 season) add depth to what was a strong but thin unit last season. Holdovers Lafayette Pitts, Ryan Lewis, and Denzel Rice join undrafted rookie free agent Cam Lewis as the remaining corners on the roster.2019 Offseason: Johnson has been rehabbing his shoulder and should be ready to go, saying that he won’t change his style of play this year even after suffering some injuries as a rookie. 2019 Season outlook: Even with the additional depth at corner, Johnson proved himself to be a valuable piece to the Bills’ defensive puzzle last season. Still, he will have to work in order to maintain his spot in the lineup, as White has the ability to shift inside if the team thinks that its three best corners don’t include the second-year man out of Weber State. While I don’t think that’s likely, it’s possible. What’s more likely and also possible is that Johnson continues to develop and thrive within the Bills’ top-notch passing defense next season. One of the dilemmas in college football is deciding how much to rely on your underclassmen. Old-school coaches turn their noses up at the idea of opting to give freshmen or even sophomores significant playing time, while others understand that the best players deserve to be on the field, regardless. So it’s interesting that the college players who impressed this week are either seniors with deep experience, or young sophomores just starting to make a name for themselves. See below for the full list of standouts.RB DJ Knox (Purdue)Unranked Purdue upset No. 2 Ohio State thanks to two players: their freshman phenom receiver Rondale Moore and workhorse running back D.J. Knox. Knox’s versatility was on display all game. Sure Womens Dion Dawkins Jersey , he ran 16 times for 128 yards and three touchdowns, but he also caught a screen pass for a 26-yard gain and managed to stand out in pass protection when asked to stay in and block for his quarterback.TE Albert Okwuegbunam (Missouri)A draft-eligible sophomore, Okwuegbunam led his team in receiving yards and had three touchdowns thanks to some clever designs, deceptive routing and raw speed. Three separate times, the tight end would line up as a run blocker but, instead of keying on a defender to block, he’d blaze past and catch a lofted pass from Drew Lock. Despite being 6’5”, 260 pounds, he can really turn on the jets in the open field. DT Quinnen Williams (Alabama)Unlike the typical Alabama defensive tackle, Williams isn’t a 320-pound run stopper. He’s a pure penetrator along the line, and that was certainly the case against Tennessee. If the sophomore wasn’t knifing through the line to get a tackle-for-loss in the run game, he was pushing a blocker back into the lap of the quarterback. Expect Williams’s star to rise as the College Football Playoff approaches.OT Mitch Hyatt (Clemson)Most analysts have Hyatt moving inside to guard at the next level, but against N.C. State on Saturday he was rock-solid in both pass protection and the run game. Although his footwork and kick slide isn’t super smooth, he gets the job done thanks to his ability to anchor. It’s rare to see him overpowered on a bull rush. Hyatt was just as effective on the move www.thebillslockerroom.com/authentic-colton-schmidt-jersey , as Clemson trusted him to get out in front of screens and short passes a few times.CB Donnie Lewis Jr. (Tulane)Although known for his coverage skills, cornerback Donnie Lewis showed off tackling chops against SMU. On one particular series, Lewis tackled running back Braeden West for a 2-yard loss on first down, then blew up a screen pass on second down for another 2-yard loss. On top of that, he had a pick-six early in the third quarter when lined up in slot coverage that extended his team’s lead to nine points.DE Kenny Willekes (Michigan State)Willekes, the former walk-on, played like his hair was on fire against rival Michigan. The junior set a powerful edge when Michigan chose to attack his side and, despite athletic limitations, he was nonetheless effective dipping around the edge to pressure Shea Patterson. Although the Spartans weren’t able to come out with a victory, they have to be encouraged by Willekes’s dominant performance—a half-sack, two tackles-for-loss and two additional hurries.