Why Cedric Johnson has the best chance for success among Ole Miss rookies
The Ole Miss Rebels had three defenders taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Cornerback Deantre Prince, pass-rusher Cedric Johnson, and safety Daijahn Anthony found new homes in the final three rounds of the draft. As NFL OTAs begin this week, Johnson looks to be in the best situation to find success as a rookie. Spotlighting […]
The Ole Miss Rebels had three defenders taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Cornerback Deantre Prince, pass-rusher Cedric Johnson, and safety Daijahn Anthony found new homes in the final three rounds of the draft. As NFL OTAs begin this week, Johnson looks to be in the best situation to find success as a rookie.
Spotlighting Bengals Rookie Cedric Johnson's OTA Performance
Johnson surprisingly fell to the sixth-round of the 2024 NFL Draft despite producing 19 sacks and 111 tackles over four seasons in Oxford. His athletic profile was outstanding, and he was one of the class's most obvious potential star subpackage pass-rushers. His 6-foot-3, 260-pound frame is NFL-ready, and his explosiveness is elite.
Joining the Bengals puts him in the spotlight right away. The Bengals hope to make a Super Bowl run, which means going through Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Earning a role on a defense with those aspirations is never easy.
Also consider he's behind veterans Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard, plus competing for playing time with 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy, Cam Sample, and Joseph Ossai. The odds are stacked against Johnson in terms of equity.
However, things may not be that complicated. Hendrickson has requested a trade if he doesn't get a contract extension. Murphy, Sample, and Ossai combined for only five sacks with little other impact. Even if Hendrickson is back, there's room for a role player to earn playing time.
Johnson's advanced production profile was similar to Murphy's which wasn't strong to start. Johnson's pass-rush win rate ranked in the 15th percentile and was a below-average run-stopper. I'd add the caveat that the difference in athletic traits between Johnson and Murphy is tilted in the rookie's favor and that defensive schemes in college don't always maximize an individual's ability to produce in these metrics.
Outlooks for Deantre Prince and Daijahn Anthony
One of the reasons why we're excited for Johnson over Prince and Anthony is their situations are tougher. Anthony is also in Cincinnati but has an even tougher road to making the final 53-man roster in a loaded secondary. Prince might be CB5 in a competitive unit.
That's not to say all is lost for either. Jacksonville has the bigger opportunity for playing time if Prince shows versatility to play inside and outside, plus special teams. But he was also the second corner they drafted in the class, plus they have draft picks and veteran upside options who he'll battle with.
