When the Jacksonville Jaguars selected safety Antonio Johnson in Round 5 of the 2023 NFL Draft, it looked like the team's brass had found a potential gem. After all, the East St. Luis, Illinois native was expected to go in the first round but ultimately fell all the way to Day 3. Fast forward to 2025, and he's at risk of getting his walking papers if he doesn't make a strong impression in training camp.
Johnson has gotten lost in the shuffle ahead of training camp. While he made a few plays in the offseason program, he's facing stiff competition to make the team in 2025. Already, one safety is earmarked for free-agent acquisition Eric Murray. The third-year defensive back will need to compete with Andrew Wingard, Darnell Savage, and rookie Caleb Ransaw. All of them have a case to get the nod.
Wingard has been a mainstay since joining the Jags after going undrafted in 2019. Savage, for his part, has been a dependable starter throughout his career. Ransaw, on the other hand, is the least experienced of the bunch but is expected to earn a featured role at some point in 2025. This could make Johnson a victim of the numbers game.
Heck, Hays Carlyon of 1010XL and Justin Barney of News4Jax made a 53-man roster prediction, and both of them have 2025 sixth-round selection Rayuan Lane III getting the nod over Johnson. Having said that, you shouldn't rule him out just yet.
Why Antonio Johnson could turn heads and start for the Jaguars in 2025
It's hard to tell, from an outside perspective, what kind of assessment the new regimen has made on Antonio Johnson. However, he's flashed enough talent in the past to make you think that he could crack the team and even start next to Eric Murray come Week 1.
Johnson lined up anywhere across the Aggies' backfield, and his flexibility was one of the reasons he became a highly rated prospect. Right off the bat, he showcased that versatility with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Although Johnson got minimal playing time early in his rookie season, he progressively got more defensive snaps when he made the most of his chances in the slot. By the end of the year, he had supplanted Tre Herndon as the primary nickel.
Following his encouraging end to 2023, Johnson switched back to safety and was expected to continue making strides. Unfortunately, he regressed and was eventually benched. He returned to the starting lineup late in the season, but calling him a disappointment seems fitting.
Working in Johnson's favor is that he's getting a legitimate chance to show he deserves to stay. Moreover, you could pin his struggles on defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen's inadequate coaching. With Anthony Campanile now taking the reins, Johnson has a chance to bounce back and vie for the starting job next to Eric Murray.
Will he pull it off? It's hard to tell, but nobody will bat an eye if he at last lives up to expectations and turns out to be the player he was projected to be ahead of the 2023 draft.