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A Miami Dolphins rookie struggled during OTAs

During the 2026 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins made 13 selections. However, despite not being the first player selected by the Dolphins, perhaps cornerback Chris Johnson, whom the team selected with the No. 27 pick, carries the highest expectations among the team’s rookies.

Unlike offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, who will likely be allowed to develop before playing at his natural tackle position, Johnson is entering a situation where the team likely expects him to start right away in the secondary.

Unfortunately, for those fans hoping that Johnson’s transition from San Diego State to the top of the Dolphins secondary would be seamless, it appears the process may be a little rockier than expected.

Miami Dolphins Rookie Shows Early Growing Pains

Regarding his impressions from the first OTA practice open to the media, Dolphins on SI’s Alain Poupart noted that Chris Johnson was beat on a deep route by wide receiver Tahj Washington. Washington dropped the pass thrown by quarterback Cam Miller, who joined the team late in the 2025 season.

Additionally, during an appearance on The Dolphins Collective, Poupart added, “The other part that concerns me, I know the book on Chris Johnson is among other things, he’s a very good tackler. And, I look at him, and I’m like ‘that does not look like a cornerback who would be a very good tackler.’”

While discussing Johnson, Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly added, “He’s not thick, he’s not tall. He has decent movement skills. You can tell, small-school players have much more to learn from a fundamentals standpoint. And you can tell, based on the way they’re coaching him, he’s got plenty to learn.”

Chris Johnson Prospect Profile

Of course, OTAs and minicamp are where players are supposed to learn. Dolphins fans will hope Johnson is a quick learner as the team will likely lean on him heavily during the 2026 season. Miami’s top two cornerbacks during the 2025 season had their contracts expire, and while Jack Jones Jr. signed with the 49ers, Rasul Douglas remains a free agent. Whether the Dolphins would consider signing Douglas if Johnson’s struggles continue remains to be seen.

Johnson arrived in Miami after being highly sought after in the 2026 NFL Draft, so much so that the Dolphins traded up three spots to draft him. Regarding him as a prospect, NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote:

“Johnson has excellent height, bulk and movement skills for his position. In press coverage, he doesn’t use his hands to reroute the receiver, but he has very quick feet and he’s fluid to open up/run. He will mix in some bail technique, where he’ll turn his back toward the sideline, run and stay on top of wideouts. He’s at his best in off coverage, where he shows excellent eyes/instincts to trigger on throws in front of him. He’s natural in finding and playing the ball. Johnson is extremely tough and aggressive to fill versus the run. He’s a dependable tackler in space and he flashes burst/closing ability as a blitzer. He had an up-and-down week at the Senior Bowl, but he rebounded with an outstanding NFL Scouting Combine performance. Coaches at SDSU rave about his character and toughness.”

However, early impressions from Omar Kelly appeared less enthusiastic than Johnson’s pre-draft evaluations.