Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Latest CB ranking puts Bears' CB Jaylon Johnson high among the league’s best with 2025 poised to be his most dominant season yet

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Kole Noble | Last updated Jul 17, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Looking at the Chicago Bears roster heading into the 2025 season, it's very obvious who the best player on the team is and that player is cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Since being drafted by the team in 2020, Johnson has progressively improved in his abilities and is just scratching the surface of what his peak performance will look like.

Following back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, Johnson has finally started to gain an immense amount of respect from those inside and around the league despite all the disfunction previously going on around this team.

On Thursday, ESPN released the Top-10 rankings at the cornerback position and once again Johnson was listed high on the list voted on by various executives, scouts, and coaches coming in at #8 with one voter even listing him as high as #4.

Why 2025 is shaping up to be even better for Jaylon Johnson

It's clear Johnson created a strong reputation around the league. Teams are genuinely scared to target this guy and prefer throwing to the complete other side of the field.

Among the 47 cornerbacks with 500+ coverage snaps in 2024, Johnson had the fewest targets (51) and receptions allowed (32) while having four pass breakups and two interceptions, according to Pro Football Focus.

This coming season, Johnson is getting set with his toughest challenge yet, but one he's more than prepared for, in fact he's practically been begging for it.

With defensive coordinator Dennis Allen coming to town, the Bears' defense is set to play a much higher rate of man coverage and Allen is planning to let Johnson shadow opposing #1 receivers throughout the season.

"You lock up the No. 1 guy. No. 1 on No. 1. For me, that's what I am looking forward to doing," Johnson explained. "That's what I train for. That's what I work hard for. For me, it's just going to be about being ready to go out there and lock up."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bearsszn (@bearsszn)

Last season, Johnson only logged 90 snaps in man coverage but allowed a 41.7 reception percentage with one touchdown allowed and two pass breakups.

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, he's going to be facing some dominant #1 receivers in this new role such as Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, AJ Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Malik Nabers, and DK Metcalf. Of these seven players, six ranked inside the Top-10 in ESPN's WR rankings.

"This season is just another example, another opportunity, for me to continue to do what I've done my whole life and that's to go take out number one guys," Johnson said this week on the Rich Eisen Show with special guest host Seth Rollins.

Johnson's proved before he's got what it takes to overcome this challenge and doing so at a high level will only boost his national perception. Maybe even warrant a first-team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career. Yet, despite all this recognition, Johnson is still keeping all the receipts.

"I don't enjoy being disrespected in that way," Johnson added. "I know I'm a high level player and I'm the top guy at my position and in this league in all positions. For me, it's just continuing to go out there an compete and I can only control what I control. . . My focus is just on dominating."