San Diego State’s Chris Johnson is one of the better cornerback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. A likely Day 2 selection, Johnson had a pre-draft visit with the Steelers earlier this month. If he hears his name called by the Steelers, he’ll don the jersey of his favorite childhood team and the same as one of his idols. On This Is Football with Kevin Clark, Johnson talked about his love of Ike Taylor and the Steelers.
“I grew up a Steelers fan so a guy like Ike Taylor for sure,” Johnson said of who he idolized. “He wasn’t the biggest, he wasn’t the fastest, he couldn’t catch the best, but at the end of the day he was out there playing his butt off with max effort and being out there for his brothers.
Johnson told Clark a little bit about his visit with the team.
“It was crazy just seeing all the legends on the walls. You could tell it’s definitely a historical building,” he said. “They got the trophy room with all six, that was crazy to see in person, seeing the Lombardi behind the glass. Overall, it was a great visit.”
He also had praise for the new coaching staff led by Mike McCarthy.
“That staff is real serious about what they’re doing there and they’re real good people too,” Johnson said.
Johnson was named the 2025 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after tallying four interceptions, two of which he returned for a touchdown. He also had 49 tackles, three tackles for a loss, a sack, and nine passes defensed. He had six career interceptions and 13 career passes defensed, and our scouting report by Jim Hester compared him to Chicago Bears All-Pro CB Jaylon Johnson.
It would be cool for Johnson to get to play for the team he grew up rooting for. He seemed like he genuinely enjoyed his pre-draft visit and seeing all the history that’s made the Steelers the iconic organization that they are — and the Lombardi Trophies he grew up rooting for them to win.
While the Steelers addressed cornerback in free agency with the signing of Jamel Dean, it’s still a position the team could target in April. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Steelers draft a cornerback on Day 2. The Steelers have five picks within the top 100, and if the team thinks Johnson can be a playmaker like his idol Taylor was, he would be well worth taking.
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