Hoosier draft profile: Jerome Johnson
IU defensive tackle could be a late-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft
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Jerome Johnson’s hometown of Bassfield, Miss. is a community of fewer than 300 residents nestled in the southern region of the state. It stretches across a mere 1.1 square miles of land, a place that’s easy to drive through and even easier to forget.
Except when it comes to football.
Before it consolidated with another nearby school system in 2017, Bassfield High School was, on its own, a high school football powerhouse. It won four straight state titles from 2012 through 2015, while regular producing players who went on to play at some of the nation’s premier programs. And yet, as he navigated the recruiting process while playing on one of Mississippi’s top high school teams, Johnson found it difficult to get noticed by the big schools. There was a point when the developing defensive lineman had zero Division I of
Jerome Johnson - Defensive Tackle Indiana Hoosiers Scouting Report
Scouting report for NFL Draft prospect Jerome Johnson
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A four-year contributor along Indiana’s defensive line, the three-technique has racked up 13.5 sacks along with 63 tackles in 45 appearances. Johnson has long arms that allow him to stab the chest of blockers and outreach them successfully. At extension, he is able to flow with lateral runs and disengage to either side. His pad level is consistently low, displaying disciplined play. He is an average athlete who lacks the get-off, burst and twitch to threaten gaps as a penetrator. His hands are slow and predictable, which hurts his block deconstruction. While he has the strength to twist blockers at extension, Johnson is often unable to press blockers off his chest and reach full extension. He is a slow processor, not recognizing penetration abilities and losing gap integrity despite his length. At the point of attack, he gets washed by com