With every rookie entering the NFL, it is a guessing game as to how they will pan out. Some players are perceived to have higher floors than others, whereas some prospects have a team banking on their ceiling. The Las Vegas Raiders have a good mix of both in their 2026 NFL Draft class.
Fifth-rounder Dalton Johnson falls somewhere in the middle of those two extremes, though, as he was an incredibly smart, instinctual and productive player in college, but he doesn't possess the high-end physical tools that most elite defensive backs have. So where does that leave his prognosis?
To continue our series in which we find a high-end, a low-end and a most realistic NFL player comparison for each member of the Raiders' rookie class, we've finally circled back to Johnson. And as expected, the potential Day 3 steal is still somewhat of a mystery box.
NFL comps for Las Vegas Raiders rookie safety Dalton Johnson
High-end: Alohi Gilman
First, Johnson and Gilman have almost identical builds. Both are on the small and short-armed side for an NFL DB, but it is their approach and savvy that allowed them to reach the league. Gilman, now heading into Year 7, just cashed in with a three-year, $24 million deal. Johnson can reach this level.
Coming out of college, size was a concern for both, as they'd get swallowed up by blockers on the second level. It was also perceived that they would struggle playing in the box and that their tackling wasn't perfect. But Gilman has proved those notions wrong to an extent, and Johnson can too.
Both have a nose for the football and a quick downhill trigger, and they can hang in coverage with their quick-twitch ability and toughness. Like Gilman, Johnson will probably start as a special teams ace before attempting to take on a full-time starting role in the secondary.
Gilman is also very versatile, even if he tilts more toward playing free safety, which figures to be the kind of blend the Raiders have in mind for Johnson. If Las Vegas' fifth-rounder becomes a starter who can still help on special teams sometimes, then they have struck gold.
Low-end: Jammie Robinson
Robinson is another slightly undersized safety, but he hasn't quite maximized his frame. With fifth-round picks like Johnson, there is no guarantee that they'll amount to much in the NFL, so the Raiders' rookie could end up being a mere special teamer, as Robinson has been.
Neither player was billed terribly highly during the pre-draft cycle, but they're both aggressive players who play with urgency and are smooth movers in coverage. Both get downhill to help make plays in the run game, and both players are versatile and can make plays on the ball and disrupt receivers.
Through three years in the NFL, though, those skills haven't translated for Robinson. He has carved out a role on special teams to the tune of 487 snaps, but he has only played 75 defensive snaps. That is entirely possible for Johnson, too, who finds himself in a young, talented and crowded secondary.
Do I think that this is what the future holds for Johnson? No. In my opinion, he'll always be a core special teamer with a solid role in the secondary. But going down the path that Robinson has thus far in his career is still well within the realm of possibility for Johnson.
Most realistic: Dante Trader Jr.
Trader Jr. has only played one season, but he reminds me a lot of Johnson. Both were taken in the heart of Round 5, and their physical profiles are practically the exact same. And Trader Jr. has the exact role I envision for Johnson in Las Vegas: 60% of the special teams snaps, 39% on defense.
As players, they both have the ability to play close to the line of scrimmage and challenge route-runners, they've got good coverage instincts, read the quarterback well and their run fits are solid. But again, their size and length were a concern coming into the NFL.
While Trader Jr. wasn't some full-time starter, he had a nice role in the Miami Dolphins' secondary as a rookie. He played some free safety, some in the box and some in the slot, and it wasn't exactly smooth sailing for the youngster. I don't expect it to be for Johnson immediately, either.
But Trader Jr., while thriving on special teams, also got his feet wet on defense and played a number of spots to kick off his career, and he learned on the job. Johnson should follow that same path with the Raiders in 2026 if he has a strong training camp and preseason.
Other Raiders rookie class NFL comparisons:
Fernando Mendoza
Treydan Stukes
Keyron Crawford
Trey Zuhn III
Jermod McCoy
Mike Washington Jr.
Hezekiah Masses (Coming Soon)
Malik Benson (Coming Soon)
Brandon Cleveland (Coming Soon)
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