Houston Football: 5 breakout candidates for the Cougars in 2017

Isaiah Johnson might be the most intriguing breakout candidate on Houston’s roster in 2017. Over the past two seasons he has played a reserve role at receiver, buried on the depth chart behind a veteran group. He managed to make his way into 22 games as an underclassman. But with few targets his way, Johnson caught just 21 passes in those 22 appearances.

After the 2016 season, the coaching staff decided to shift Johnson from receiver to cornerback to get him more playing time. Given his experience on the offensive side of the ball, he should be able to keep up with AAC receivers in coverage. At 6-foot-3, he is larger than most cornerbacks, but has the agility to stay stride for stride with opponents.

The Cougars boasted one of the best secondaries at snagging interceptions in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, though, they plummeted down the rankings all the way outside the top 100 after forcing just seven picks all year. New defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio will look to reverse that trend and return Houston back among the national leaders in turnover generation.

That will require a shutdown corner to emerge among an open field of contenders. With his size and playing experience on the other side of the ball, Johnson could join Austin Robinson as a breakout defensive star whose career started on offense.