Vernon Johnson (born April 17, 1992) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Midwestern State University, Southwestern College, and Texas A&M University–Commerce.
![]() Johnson (6) playing for A&M–Commerce in 2014. | |
No. 89 | |
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Position: | Wide receiver |
Personal information | |
Born: | San Diego, California, U.S. | April 17, 1992
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Weight: | 196[1] lb (89 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Brewer (Fort Worth, Texas) |
College: | Midwestern State Southwestern College Texas A&M–Commerce |
Undrafted: | 2015 |
Career history | |
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Roster status: | Active |
CFL status: | International |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Player stats at CFL.ca |
High school career
editJohnson attended Brewer High School in Fort Worth. During his senior season in 2009, he had 76 receptions for 1,006 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also lettered in basketball as well as track & field.[3]
College career
editJohnson began his college career at Midwestern State University; he redshirted in 2010 and caught 6 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown as a reserve receiver in 2011.
In 2012, he transferred to Southwestern College, where he caught 49 passes for 1,082 yards and 15 touchdowns.[4]
During his first season at Texas A&M University–Commerce in 2013, he set school records in receptions (70), receiving yards (1,350), and receiving touchdowns (13), although his touchdown reception record was broken by his teammate Ricky Collins during the next season. He also added 496 kick return yards and led the conference in all purpose yards per game with an average of 183.8. In addition, he won the Lone Star Conference (LSC) wide receiver of the year award.[5]
In 2014, Johnson totaled 77 receptions for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns, thus breaking his reception record from the previous season; he also tallied 304 kick return yards. He helped lead a conference championship-winning A&M–Commerce team that led the nation in both average points per game (54.1) and average yards per game (535.4).[6] The team also opened the season with a record-breaking performance against East Texas Baptist in which it scored 98 points, amassing 986 total yards of offense and 13 touchdowns.[7] This performance helped Johnson earn his second LSC wide receiver of the year honor,[8] while also being named an AFCA first team All-American.[6]
After his college career Johnson was selected to compete in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.[9] Draft analysts projected him to be drafted in the 5th or 6th round of the NFL Draft, and he drew comparisons to Bruce Ellington. NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein described Johnson as a "creative, instinctive receiver who has the feet and hips to make defenders miss and the acceleration to hit the big play either after the catch or down the field."[10]
NCAA stats
editReceiving | Kick Returns | |||||||||||
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Year | Team | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
2010 | Midwestern State | Redshirt | ||||||||||
2011 | Midwestern State | 8 | 6 | 146 | 24.3 | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2012 | Southwestern College | Played at Junior College | ||||||||||
2013 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 11 | 70 | 1350 | 19.3 | 88 | 13 | 15 | 496 | 33.1 | 81 | 0 |
2014 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 12 | 77 | 1258 | 16.3 | 71 | 12 | 14 | 304 | 21.7 | 64 | 0 |
Totals: | 31 | 153 | 2754 | 18.0 | 99 | 26 | 29 | 800 | 27.6 | 81 | 0 |
Professional career
editDetroit Lions
editAfter going undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft, Johnson signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent.[13] He was cut from the team on August 31, 2015.[14]
Wiesbaden Phantoms
editJohnson played with the Wiesbaden Phantoms of the German Football League during 2016 season.
Ottawa Redblacks
editJohnson signed with the Ottawa Redblacks on June 7, 2017.[15] He was cut from the team on June 18, 2017.[16]
BC Lions
editReferences
edit- ^ Vernon Johnson NFL profile
- ^ Johnson named All–American
- ^ "Vernon Johnson – 2011 Football". Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "CCCAA". www.cccaastats.org. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "15 LIONS GARNER LONE STAR CONFERENCE POSTSEASON FOOTBALL HONORS". Texas A&M-Commerce. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ a b "A&M-Commerce's Johnson Named AFCA All-American". Texas A&M-Commerce. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "Lions Open Season in Record-Breaking Fashion Thursday". Texas A&M-Commerce. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "Six Lions Earn First Team, Twenty-Six Total Honored by the Lone Star Conference". Texas A&M-Commerce. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "Johnson, Bergeron Will Represent A&M-Commerce in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl". Texas A&M-Commerce. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "2015 NFL Draft Profile: Vernon Johnson". NFL.com. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "Vernon Johnson – 2014 Football". Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "Vernon Johnson – 2011 Football". Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "Detroit Lions: UDFA Spotlight (Wide Receiver, Vernon Johnson)". 247Sports. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "NFL roster cuts 2015: Lions cut nine players, one to IR". Pride Of Detroit. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
- ^ "Vernon Johnson - Ottawa REDBLACKS". Ottawa REDBLACKS. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ MEDIA, SUN. "Released Redblacks feel the real sting | Football | Sports | Ottawa Sun". m.ottawasun.com. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ "Lions Add Kevin Elliott, Four Other International Receivers - BC Lions". BC Lions. May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
External links
edit- Media related to Vernon Johnson at Wikimedia Commons