Rashad Johnson SELECTED BY: Cardinals Round 3 (31)

SI Grade 2.76 GRADING SYSTEM

BIOGRAPHY: Full-time starter the past two years, awarded all-Conference honors each season. Senior totals included 89/5/11 after his junior campaign, when he led Alabama in tackles and tied four the SEC lead in interceptions with numbers of 94/6/8. Started four games as a sophomore and finished with 33 tackles.

POSITIVES: Instinctive defensive back constantly making positive plays on the ball. Plays with great quickness, flashes on the scene and possesses terrific ball skills. Fluid turning his hips, quickly closes to the action and effectively covers his deep centerfield assignments. Displays skill in man coverage situations, possesses a sense of timing, and has a nice move to the ball. Gets vertical to defend the pass, stays focused and shows good hands for the pick. Works well with cornerbacks, and he gets his teammates in proper position in the secondary. Aggressive in run defense and works to get off blocks then makes plays up the field.

NEGATIVES: Lacks the classic size for safety. Not smooth pedaling in reverse and better facing the action. Does not possess great top-end speed.

ANALYSIS: Johnson is an opportunistic playmaker in the secondary with a terrific head for the game. He makes up for his lack of physical size with instincts and the ability to diagnose plays before they unfold. Johnson is a heady safety who could be used in a variety of defensive systems, and he offers starting potential at the next level. He could well be one of the most underrated players in this year's draft.

PROJECTION: Free Agent