With the Cincinnati Bengals set to attack the cornerback position in the 2026 NFL Draft, one of the biggest risers during the pre-draft season has been San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson.

The Bengals previously met with Johnson, and we all know how the team puts significant value into drafting players they’ve met with and seen in person.

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Could we see Johnson hear his name called by the Bengals on Day 2 of the draft?

Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 193

Age: 21 (22 in November)

Hometown: Long Beach, CA

Year: Senior

RAS:

Background

Johnson joined the Aztecs in 2022 and began playing immediately. He appeared in 12 games with SDSU as a freshman and ascended to further playing time from there.

The standout corner hit his stride in 2024, logging an interception, 67 total tackles, and three forced fumbles. However, his senior season was a true breakout year, in which Johnson grabbed four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), defended nine passes, and forced another fumble.

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As both a junior and senior, Johnson showed tenacity, ranginess, and the ability to make big plays. Once thought of as a Night 2 pick, further review of his tape and outstanding workouts has propelled him into Night 1 conversations.

Strengths and Weaknesses

When you look at Johnson, his tape and measurables, he checks a lot of boxes as a starting NFL boundary corner. And, in the film, you see him make various plays in both zone and man coverage.

Some pro teams may want him to bulk up a little bit, but the film shows a guy who isn’t afraid of contact. His four forced fumbles over the past two years prove that, as do his interception returns for touchdowns.

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Johnson has good length to go with the athleticism, while routinely showing solid football instincts on film. He’s disruptive and was a dominant player in his conference. This was evidenced by his designation as the 2025 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Conference designation after the season concluded.

But the Mountain West Conference is the crux of the questions, even if very few, that surround Johnson. The competition he faced was not elite, by any means, and that may make some scouts pause on using a premier pick on him. And, when speaking of the Bengals and their penchant for picking big school players from programs with high levels of success, Johnson’s film may come under more scrutiny from Cincinnati’s Draft braintrust than other teams.

Outlook

While SDSU is far from a small school, it’s not well-known as a “NFL factory”, there are always outliers and superstars who remained loyal to their respective alma mater. Teams take note of players dominating against subpar competition—good and bad. And, this is especially the case in the new NIL era with a myriad of transfers and the like.

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However, the production, athletic profile, and film show a potential superstar in the making with Johnson. He is a willing tackler, can blitz effectively on occasion, and has shown the ability to make plays in various schemes. His “nose for the ball”, as they say, is very efficient, and could prove to be a very effective defender at the next level.

The question for the Bengals is how they maneuver the Draft and what transpires in the first nine picks in front of them. If Johnson is the No. 3 or No. 4 corner in this year’s class, using the No. 10 overall pick doesn’t make sense, from a consensus standpoint.

But, if the team moves back in the first round and/or if Johnson is somehow available on Night 2, he makes a lot of sense for the Bengals. Not only would it give the Bengals a lot of leverage in negotiations with Turner and Hill (which they would love), but it would also give them a contingency should those inevitable offseason talks fall through. It also allows the team to slide Hill to the slot (where he excelled in college) and have three high-ability defenders on the field in certain formations/scenarios.