One of the Minnesota Vikings’ biggest needs is cornerback, and they could turn to a familiar name — although not a familiar face. After his combine performance, the Vikings should have San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson on their big board going into the 2026 draft.
There was one other Chris Johnson who made a name for himself in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans took him in the first round of the 2008 draft, and he was absolutely electric.
One of the best seasons ever.
The year @ChrisJohnson28 became CJ2K.
In 2009, the @Titans RB tore through the @NFL, racking up 2,006 rushing yards and 2,509 total yards from scrimmage, a league record that still stands today. pic.twitter.com/xhFNKv8lKi
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) November 5, 2018
Some people believe his 2009 season was the best by any running back, ever. He was named the 2009 Offensive Player of the Year, and his 2,006 rushing yards are etched in the record books among the 10 most in a single season. His 2006 total ranks seventh today, one yard above 2024 Saquon Barkley.
While the younger Johnson lines up on the other side of the ball, he definitely has the potential to make as big a name for himself in the NFL as well. He certainly seized his moment at the combine.
Chris Johnson is a CB prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.71 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 83 out of 2781 CB from 1987 to 2026.
Pending pro day, splits projected, reposting to correct school.https://t.co/0CTeRzJT1U pic.twitter.com/JPZWIiG2S7
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 2, 2026
The 6’0”, 195 lb. SDSU alum was top 10 among cornerbacks in all combine drills except for the vertical jump, where he was 15th. He was 10th in the broad jump, his 4.4 40 was good enough for third, his 10-second split came in fourth, and he tied for first in the bench press with 17 reps. According to NextGen Stats, his final combine score landed him in third among corners behind Tennessee’s Colton Hood and Steven F. Austin’s Charles Demmings.
Johnson played all four seasons with the Aztecs, and 2025 was his best year. He came away with first-team all-Mountain West, Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, and second-team AP All-American. He was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award for the best corner in the country.
The stats show Johnson deserved all these honors and that he is coming into the draft at his peak. He had 34 solo tackles, eight pass deflections, a sack, a forced fumble, and four interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. Johnson also held opposing QBs to a combined 16.1 passer rating all season, the best of any CB in the draft this season.
His highlight tape shows everything fans need to know to be excited by the incoming rookie. Whoever ends up with him will be happy. Johnson should want to go to Minnesota, because the setup is built for him to thrive.
While Johnson struggles to hang with receivers as routes progress and occasionally gets beaten, he should benefit from playing in Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme. Flores could use an aggressive corner like Johnson to potentially set the tone for what was an underwhelming part of Minnesota’s defense last season.
Johnson has the versatility to play in any scheme. People have compared him to Byron Murphy, who has played well since the Vikings signed him in 2023. The young corner can cover outside receivers along with the slot, making him a potential second secret weapon along with Josh Metellus.
The Vikings needed defensive back help in the worst way last season, with some inexperience among the defensive backs and the older ones seeming to have lost a step. While CB Chris Johnson plays on the other side of the ball than the 2009 OPY Chris Johnson, the one coming out of the draft could also make a major impact early in his career, given the correct situation.
Flores’s defense takes pressure off cornerbacks. Johnson has only improved since being a true freshman, and his best may be yet to come. If the Vikings pass on him in the first round, he won’t be there when they draft again in the second round.