Former Toledo Wide Receiver didn’t receive an invite to the 2019 NFL Combine or hear his name called in any of the seven rounds at this year’s NFL Draft, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t possess the talent to make someone’s roster in the league. After signing with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent, he’s hoping he’s found that team and his forever home.
The journey for Jon’Vea Johnson to earn one of those coveted final 53-man roster spots with the Dallas Cowboys is going to be a long one. This year’s roster is deep from top to bottom, which means making it as an undrafted free agent is going to be extremely difficult. But, luckily for him he is already starting to turn a few heads at the Cowboys OTAs.
Here’s what Cowboys Wide Receiver Coach Sanjay Lal recently had to say about Jon’Vea:
“Not a surprise, because we loved his film, but Jon’Vea the last two days, his speed and athleticism and how smooth he is has shown up here – almost a little bit earlier than we thought it would. Because we think he’s going to process. Most young guys are thinking a lot, but he’s done a good job of learning his plays and coming out and showing what he can do.”
Considering coaches typically try their hardest not to single out any one player in these OTA practices, that’s pretty high praise from Sanjay Lal.
It’s important to remember the Dallas Cowboys had Jon’Vea Johnson in as one of their 30 pre-draft visitors, so you know they had a draftable grade on him already. Getting him as an undrafted free agent probably felt like a win for them, and more so now that he’s off to a good start.
Johnson actually has a few things going for him that may set him apart from other WRs currently on the Cowboys roster. He has the versatility to play on the outside or in the slot, but it’s his speed that really makes him stand out from the rest.
At his Pro Day, Jon’Vea ran an unofficial 4.38 40-yard dash. That would’ve ranked among the best to run the 40 at this year’s Scouting Combine. But that’s not all… he tested pretty well in other areas as well: 35″ vertical and a 10’8″ broad jump. Not bad for a 5’10”, 190 pound undrafted wide receiver.
As good as all of this sounds, Johnson still has a long ways to go in order to lock down a roster spot. The Cowboys have some pretty talented WRs on the roster and he’s going to have to clearly outperform quite a few of them to earn his way onto the final 53-man roster. But, it’s encouraging he’s already off to a good start.
We’ve seen players stand out in these kind of unpadded practices before, so I’d probably hold off on anointing him just yet. For his sake though, it’s always a good thing to catch the eye of your coaches in a positive way.
