Anthony Johnson, Arnold Azunna emerging as key pieces of Iowa State's future secondary

AMES, Ia. — Brian Peavy said the mark of a strong program is that when senior starters leave, there's no drop-off in production. There's no lull. 

"It doesn't take a big slump," Iowa State's senior cornerback said Tuesday. "It can maintain and thrive, and continue to win games."

Peavy is confident that, even when he and fellow senior D'Andre Payne graduate, the cornerback position will be in good hands in Ames. And, in addition to redshirt freshman Datrone Young, Anthony Johnson Jr. and Arnold Azunna are two big reasons why.

Johnson is a true freshman out of St. Petersburg, Florida. He's gotten most of his snaps on special teams. But he also backs up Peavy at the left cornerback spot, and he has piled up 14 tackles and a solo tackle for loss over the past three games — including an eight-tackle effort against Baylor.

Azunna is a redshirt sophomore out of Grand Prairie, Texas. He's also played mostly on special teams. But with both Payne and Young dinged up at the right cornerback spot, Azunna stepped in and performed well against Texas, amassing four tackles.

"To step in early and play, I mean, we noticed it when he came in the summer," Peavy said of Johnson. "How he was moving, his ability to be able to play. Regarding him stepping in there in the fire, that’s big-time as a young guy. I know even myself, I redshirted, so that’s a big move for him to just come in and play."

A three-star recruit coming out of high school, Johnson held just the one Power Five offer and picked the Cyclones over South Florida. The 6-footer was an under-the-radar gem for Iowa State, ranked the No. 105 cornerback in 2018 by 247Sports.

Matt Campbell said he sees Johnson in the same light as Brock Purdy and Mike Rose — as an instant-impact freshman with a promising future in Ames.

"I’ll tell ya: The freshman year that Anthony Johnson  has had has been pretty remarkable," Campbell said. "Some of the plays he’s made on special teams and in crunch moments. Now, all of a sudden, his demand of playing time — some of it due to injury, but some of it due to how well he’s practiced and really how well he’s played — he's pretty special.

"I think he’s got some tools and some talent that are maybe beyond what we’ve been able to coach at that position. So I’m really excited about his future. I’m really excited about what he brings to the table. Length, athleticism, some leadership traits that have been really fun to watch grow."

Azunna was another three-star recruit — another kid ranked in the 100s at his position by 247Sports. The Cyclones landed him over Purdue, Illinois and Colorado State, among others. He was a Paul Rhoads recruit who stuck with Iowa State when Campbell came over from Toledo.

Campbell said Arnold is still trying to find his way in the program, but his athleticism and physical talent — he's 6 feet and 195 pounds — are undeniable. Beyond his recent performances against Baylor and Texas, Campbell pointed to the Liberty Bowl last year, when Arnold played well when called upon at the end of the Cyclones' 21-20 over Memphis.

"(He's) trying to find his niche and his role," Campbell said. "But I think you saw Saturday night, physically, he comes into the football game and, man, he matches. He plays with those guys and has the ability to physically play to the level that we need him to play for us to be successful.

"We certainly believe in his athleticism and talent. I think he’s trying to find that consistency to say, 'Man, I deserve the right to be on the field with consistency.'"

Payne and Young are currently listed as the top two right corners against Kansas State. Although, it's still not clear how healthy those two are and how much they'll play.

Translation: Don't be surprised if Azunna gets some more run on Saturday.

Matthew Bain covers college football and basketball recruiting for the Des Moines Register. He also helps out with Iowa and Iowa State football and basketball coverage for HawkCentral and Cyclone Insider. Contact him at mbain@dmreg.com and follow him on Twitter @MatthewBain_.