2017 Conference USA Honorable Mention
2017 Conference USA Preseason Team
2016 Conference USA Honorable Mention
2016 (Jr.) | 14/14: Johnson was an immediate impact on the interior of the defensive line as soon as he stepped on campus, starting all 14 games and picking up All-Conference USA Honorable Mention honors along the way. Johnson tallied 43 stops (20 solo) as well as 12.5 tackles for loss, the most among defensive linemen and second-most among all Hilltopper defenders. Paired with Omarius Bryant, Johnson helped contribute to the nation’s No. 2 rated rushing defense, allowing opponents just 97.2 yards per game, behind only national runner-up Alabama. The Hilltoppers and Crimson Tide were the only two teams in the country to hold teams under 100 rushing yards per game. Johnson had career days against Marshall and Houston Baptist, tallying five stops in both games but exploded against Vanderbilt, tallying four tackles, all behind the line of scrimmage. He had a pair of sacks at Miami (Ohio).
Before WKU: Johnson came to The Hill after spending two seasons in junior college at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College with coach Chad Huff. As a sophomore at MGCCC, the 6-foot-2, 290 lbs., Johnson tallied 37 tackles and six tackles for loss to go along with a 41-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. In his freshman season, Johnson piled up 25 tackles, one for loss and an interception. MGCCC went 16-5 over the past two seasons with Johnson appearing in all 21 games. Johnson was a three-star rated prospects from 247Sports.com and the No. 20 junior college defensive tackle in the nation in the class of 2016. Rivals.com rates Johnson as a two-star prospect. As a prep star at Gulfport High School for coach Eddie Pierce, Johnson tallied 76 tackles, three for loss, including a career-best 46 tackles during his senior campaign.
