It's anyone's guess as to which cornerback prospects will be the first to go after Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson in the 2020 NFL Draft, but at least one of the next-tier cover men got some encouraging news ahead of next week's event. As reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the doctor who performed surgery on Utah standout Jaylon Johnson following February's scouting combine has updated all 32 NFL teams on Johnson's recovery, telling them the CB is well ahead of schedule in his rehab.
Dr. Peter Millett, of The Steadman Clinic in Colorado, previously advised Johnson to have a torn labrum repaired after the corner reportedly played much of his 2019 season with shoulder pain. Now, per Pelissero, Millett has issued a letter to all teams indicating Johnson, a potential first-round pick in the 2020 draft, is expected to make a full recovery "without any restrictions or limitations" and should be ready for a full workload by early August. Early estimates were that Johnson would need around five months before gaining clearance for football activities, so an August recovery would put the Pac-12 product right on track to be ready for his rookie season.
The news has potentially big implications for Johnson's draft status, especially with the CB reportedly also testing well in a recent follow-up exam. The junior was already considered among the top prospects at his position, but if teams are convinced he's OK medically, there's a chance Johnson could end up being a top-20 selection when the draft kicks off April 23.
The San Francisco 49ers (No. 13 overall pick), Atlanta Falcons (No. 16), Dallas Cowboys (No. 17), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 19) and Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 20) are among teams who figure to be in the mix for CB help during the draft's opening round.
