Cornerback is an urgent need for the Cincinnati Bengals, who will likely head to the draft to fill that gap. While they seem like the best fits for talents like LSU's Mansoor Delane and Tennessee's Jermod McCoy, they can also target yet another CB who is now generating some buzz in the draft.

San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson is one of the names linked during this process, and he has already been in touch with Cincinnati during pre-draft meetings. He told Sports Illustrated that he has met with the team in a Zoom meeting.

Cincinnati is not only looking for starters. They also need players who can step in and deliver for the long term. Johnson fits that type. He's not the biggest cornerback, but his 4.40 time at the 40-yard dash proves that he has the speed to make up for his height.

Chris Johnson broke out in 2024, with 65 total tackles, of which 49 were solo. In 2025, he finished with 48 total tackles and four interceptions. Johnson has proven to be very effective in zone coverage and can be developed into a man-coverage cornerback as well.

Johnson may not be picked by Cincinnati in the first round. But he can very much be worth a later pick. Sports Illustrated predicts that the Bengals might draft him at No. 41.

The cornerback room is in a weird spot right now, but adding Chris Johnson should give the Bengals more stability here.

How does Chris Johnson fit into the roster?

Cincinnati already has cornerbacks DJ Turner and Dax Hill. But they might not be the best options for the team to rely on. Hill is a flexible option, and can be moved to the inside if needed. That opens up some room for Chris Johnson, who can be the outside corner. He played at that position in college.

Ja'Sir Taylor (signed from free agency) and Jalen Davis can be looked at as nickelback options, leaving slot as the only position that does not have a starter. Johnson, described as a "scheme-versatile" CB by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, can also line up at this position.

"Whichever team I go to, I just want to be able to help them out wherever and however I can," Johnson told Sports Illustrated. "So, sliding inside to nickel corner, if that’s the case, it's all football to me. It doesn't really matter to me."

Chris Johnson will most likely be looked at as a depth prospect, but he has the potential to step in and lead as needed. Whether Cincinnati will be his new home in the draft, only time can tell.

What do you think of this fit for the Bengals? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Anjali Thakur

Edited by

Afreen Kabir