Lions fans looking for the team to address the cornerback in the draft but don’t want them to do it with their first round pick have a new name to keep in mind:

Trumaine Johnson, CB, Montana
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 204 lbs
Arm Length: 33-1/4″
Hands: 9-3/8″
40-yard Dash: 4.61 sec
Vertical Jump: 35.5″
Broad Jump: 122″
Watch his combine workout here

Trumaine Johnson’s name hit the radar of Lions fans yesterday when he was featured as their pick in round two of Mel Kiper’s new mock draft. Kiper goes on to refer to Johnson as “one of the more underrated players in the draft” and calls his play at Montana “dominating”. NFL Mocks breaks down the pros and cons of Trumaine Johnson’s game like this:

Pros:
Good size/speed…high upside…playmaker 13 career interceptions including at least two pick sixes…fluid athlete…long…looks really toned…good hops..potential as a kick returner…big hitter…

Cons:
consistency…hasn’t played against top competition and coach has questioned his practice habits publicly…not disciplined in his coverage…has missed games due to injury

Trumaine Johnson does have some character concerns thanks to an October arrest for obstructing a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. That, combined with his physical stature, has led some to draw comparisons between Johnson and Jimmy Smith, last year’s first round pick by the Baltimore Ravens.

The Lions have shown serious interest in Alabama’s Dre Kirkpatrick – another cornerback with size. Trumaine Johnson could be a nice consolation prize in a later round if the Lions target but fail to land Kirkpatrick in round one. Johnson is generally ranked to go near the end of the second round and somewhere between the seventh and eleventh best cornerback prospect in the draft.

Johnson is noted for being a good athlete and tackler while having solid ball skills. The biggest area for improvement is in reading and reacting to receiver’s routes. NFL-level coaching and a period of time to transition from FCS college football to the pros may take care of that.

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