SALT LAKE CITY — Jaylon Johnson was all set to be in Las Vegas for the upcoming NFL draft. He planned on being one of the players that was to be taken by boat to a red carpet stage in front of the Bellagio fountains after being picked.

Then came the coronavirus. The NFL canceled the public event and will opt for a studio show (April 23-25) instead to help stem the spread of the virus.

“I was planning on going,” said Johnson, who is now looking forward to having the biggest smallest gathering he can in his hometown of Fresno, California. The plan there is to enjoy the draft the best way he can.

Johnson, a 2019 All-American and a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 honoree, isn’t expecting to be on the board for long.

“I’m just going to deal with whatever happens, but for me personally I’m not expecting anything less than the first round — whether it’s the middle and wherever it may be,” Johnson said. “I don’t really pay attention to what the mock drafts say. That’s based on some of my knowledge that I have. So I don’t expect to get out of the first round.”

Johnson added that he’s spoken with a lot of different teams and has established relationships.

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“I’m not too sure exactly who would be a favorite or who would be a front-runner or anything like that,” Johnson said. “I just know I’ve talked to a lot of teams and you never know in a process like this.”

Whatever happens, Johnson vows to deal with it. He’s just moving forward, same as always — accomplishing goals he has long set to paper. An NFL career, he explained, is something he realistically made as a goal while a junior in high school. It was part of his college plan that also included graduation in three years. Johnson is forgoing his final season of eligibility, doing so with a communications degree.

“Everything just goes by so fast. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment,” he said as the NFL draft approaches. “When it does come you celebrate for a few hours and then you’re right back to work again.”

Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley considers Johnson a “consummate professional” who studies film relentlessly.

“He’s going to transition well to the next level because the things they’re going to ask him to do athletically he can do and mentally he’s already been doing,” Scalley said. “Studies film as good as anyone I’ve ever seen. He anticipates. He’s a smart, a heady football player.”

Scalley added that Johnson is “not a prima donna” and will transition well to the NFL based on how he handled the game in college.

Johnson also impressed Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. He called him a prototypical cornerback that has it all.

“Everything just goes by so fast. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment. When it does come you celebrate for a few hours and then you’re right back to work again.” — Jaylon Johnson

“He’s got the size and the speed and the fluid hips, ball skills, intelligence,” Whittingham said. “He’s the whole package at corner.”

Johnson, who is 6 feet tall and weighs 195 pounds, appeared in 38 games for the Utes (making 28 starts) and made seven interceptions in his career. He’s also a two-time conference all-academic honoree. 

Then there’s his toughness. Johnson played the past season with a torn labrum, he masked it by making it look like an elbow stinger when pain flared up on the field and he needed time to loosen it up. 

“He’s tough,” Whittingham said. “He’ll play through some pain.”

Johnson downplays the situation by insisting that injuries are just part of the game. Besides, he had goals to achieve — with his team and individually.

“I absolutely wasn’t going to let it stop me,” said Johnson, who had the injury surgically repaired after the NFL Scouting Combine.

Johnson went on to earn All-American recognition from the Associated Press, Walter Camp, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Phil Steele and Pro Football Focus. While making 13 starts at left corner, he topped Utah will 11 pass breakups and ranked among the Pac-12 leaders in passes defended with 13. 

Jaylon Johnson | STEVE C WILSON

Whittingham said that Johnson’s torn labrum showed up more when he took on blocks and made tackles than in coverage. Not being 100 percent, though, leads to the question if Johnson could be even more effective. 

“Oh yeah, everyone can get better,” said Whitingham.

Johnson, meanwhile, is taking a wait-and-see approach.

“Who knows, who knows,” he said. “But we’ll all find out coming up soon in the fall when I’m all healthy, when I don’t have any injuries or anything like that. We’ll all find out soon.”

The injury factored into Johnson’s decision to declare for the draft and not play in the Alamo Bowl with the Utes.

“I’d say it was a lot harder than I envisioned,” said Johnson, who acknowledged it almost brought tears to his eyes shaking hands with the guys on defense before departing. Seeing all the team activities without him in San Antonio on social media was also tough.

Ultimately, though, Johnson thinks it was best for his future. Utah’s College Football Playoff hopes were gone with a loss to Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game and playing again with the injured shoulder put his preparation for the combine at risk. This was about his future.

Johnson is busy rehabbing his shoulder after surgery. He expects to be 100% in June or July before NFL camps open.

“It’s just what I’ve got to do,” Johnson said of his work to move it around and increase flexibility and mobility. “It’s just part of the process.”

What’s different, obviously, is the nation’s battle with the coronavirus pandemic. It’s shut down sports and put such things as the upcoming NFL draft on the backburner.

“Honestly it’s kind of a weird situation. It’s more focused, now, on the coronavirus and all the health issues that’s going on. It is easy to get distracted on what’s coming up, but when you do sit down and think about it, it’s OK dang, this is a life-changing month in a sense.” — Jaylon Johnson

“Honestly it’s kind of a weird situation. It’s more focused, now, on the coronavirus and all the health issues that’s going on,” Johnson said. “It is easy to get distracted on what’s coming up, but when you do sit down and think about it, it’s OK dang, this is a life-changing month in a sense.”

As such, Johnson noted that he’s just trying to go through and enjoy the draft process as much as possible despite everything else that is going on. 

Johnson is a student of football. He studies individuals and critically analyzes their play to get tips and tools. Ray Lewis was his favorite player while growing up. He didn’t really follow a particular team, although he looked up to them.

“I look to different players for help in a sense of how I can add what they do to my game,” Johnson said. “I just look at football differently.”

Playing for Utah brought an even different perspective. Johnson, who was a highly touted recruit out of high school, said he has no regrets about choosing the Utes. He pretty much could have played anywhere in the country.

Utah defensive back Jaylon Johnson (1) warms up before game Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Los Angeles. | AP

“From the very beginning it wasn’t always just about ball. It was also about being a good man, being a better person,” said Johnson, who credits Scalley and cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah for stressing the importance of both mental and physical preparation. 

Johnson explained that the players were held to a high standard with a philosophy that the big things are easier when you take care of the little things. That led to countless time in the film room and extra time on the field.

“It was always about pushing us to be better and just not being comfortable with being alright or just being good,” Johnson said. “They always pushed us to be great in everything we did.”

Now, comes the next step for Johnson.

“Honestly I feel like this is the reason I committed here — the fact that I trusted them to build me and mold me in a way to where I would be ready for this situation and life moving forward after college ball,” he said.

•. •. •

What they’re saying about Jaylon Johnson ... 

NFL.COM: “Will be a starter within first two seasons.”

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CBS SPORTS: 2nd round, 36th overall — New York Giants

DRAFTSITE: 2nd round, 56th overall — Miami Dolphins

DRAFTTEK: 2nd round, 53rd overall — New York Jets

SPORTING NEWS: 2nd round, 38th overall — Carolina Panthers

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