Height: 6’4″
Weight: 235
40 Time: 4.35 (Combine)
Position: WR
College: Georgia Tech
Birthdate: September 25, 1985
Hometown: Tyrone, GA
Calvin Johnson (born September 25, 1985 in Tyrone, Georgia is an football player, formerly for Georgia Tech. He played his first season for the Yellow Jackets in 2004 as a WR. Johnson has a rare combination of size (6-5, 238), speed (4.35), strength, leaping ability (45″ vertical), body control and hand-eye coordination, which earns him a product of Planet Theory. It is often mentioned that he is also a very humble and well-behaved person, exemplified by his building trip (see below), and his refraining from showing off or getting into confrontations on the field. On January 8, 2007, Johnson declared he will forego his senior year and enter the 2007 NFL Draft.
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NFL Scouting Report
- Ran a 4.35 40 at the Combine
Underclassman … All-American … Tremendous size … Has 4.4 speed and terrific leaping ability … Scouts put his comparative lack of production down to not having a top level QB to throw him the ball … Quiet, humble character … Likely to be a top-three pick … Blocks well … Has great hands … Can catch the ball in traffic … Had a quiet game against Utah in the Emerald Bowl in 2005 against Eric Weddle’s press coverage … Crucially dropped a pass in the end zone that was intercepted to clinch N C State’s win over them in 2005 … Had a diving TD catch against Georgia in 2005, but other than that was held catchless by DeMario Minter … Improving as a route runner … Runs with power when he has the ball … Held to just 2 catches for 13yds against Paul Oliver of Georgia, as he beat DBs downfield several times, but the ball was under or overthrown … On one occasion he stumbled on a downfield route and still nearly made a diving catch and on another he knocked the ball away from a DB to save a possession … Did gain 13yds on a powerful reverse … Against single coverage in the ACC Championship Game against Wake Forest, he caught 8 passes for 117yds, including a diving grab over the middle, a nice over-the-shoulder grab after a stop-go route for 20yds and some powerful running after contact for 20 more … Also dropped two balls, one where he mistimed his jump and bobbled the ball, which was intercepted … Georgia Tech QB Reggie Ball only completed one other pass in the 9-6 loss … Seven catches for 111yds and a TD on a jump ball against Notre Dame … Six catches for 114yds and 2TDs against Virginia Tech … Nine catches for 168yds and 2TDs against N C State … Had eight catches, 127yds and 3TDs, including the game winner against Clemson as a Freshman, but they pressed him for the next two years and he was 4-46 as a Sophomore and shut out as a Junior … Five catches for 68yds and a TD against Miami, despite good coverage … Was held to three catches for 13yds in the 7-0 win against North Carolina … Ten catches for 133yds and a TD against Maryland, including 4-53-TD on the first possession
High school career
Johnson caught 40 passes for 736 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior at Sandy Creek High School. The star receiver added 34 receptions for 646 yards and 10 scores as a junior for two-year totals of 80 catches, 1,479 yards and 18 touchdowns.
One of Georgia Tech’s most highly publicized signees in recent years, Johnson was rated among the nation’s top 10 wide receivers and top 100 players by virtually every recruiting analyst. He was tabbed the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 15 player in the nation by TheInsiders.com, named to the Super Southern 100 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Rivals 100 by Rivals.com, TheInsiders.com Hot 100, the SuperPrep All-America 275 and the Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team.
He was also rated the No. 3 player in Georgia, No. 12 in the Southeast and No. 37 in the nation by Rivals.com, the No. 7 wide receiver in the nation by SuperPrep. First-team all-state selection (Class AAAA) by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Finally, he was tabbed to the AJC’s preseason Super 11.
College career
In his career at Georgia Tech, Johnson made a case for being the greatest Georgia Tech receiver of all time, a significant accomplishment considering Tech’s recent penchant for producing several talented wide receivers. Johnson has 178 receptions in his career, good for 2,927 yards and 28 touchdowns. He ranks first in school history in career receiving yards, second in receptions, first in touchdown receptions, and first in most career 100-yard receiving games with 13. As a freshman in 2004, Johnson was named first-team All-ACC. Johnson was the Jackets’ leading receiver with 48 catches for 837 yards and seven scores, which were Georgia Tech freshman records. Johnson ended his freshman campaign against Syracuse in the Champs Sports Bowl, where he recorded a touchdown.
2005 was Johnson’s sophomore year, where he earned first-team All-American honors. He also earned All-ACC honors for the 2nd straight year and was semifinalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award. He led Tech with 54 catches for 888 yards and six scores.
Johnson entered his junior season in the Biletnikoff Award running and Heisman Trophy running. Although Johnson finished 10th for the Heisman, he won the Biletnikoff. Johnson was ACC Player of the Year and made his 3rd straight selection to All-ACC squad. Johnson tallied 1,202 yards on 78 catches. Johnson’s 15 touchdowns in 2006 is a new Georgia Tech single-season record. Against the West Virginia in the Toyota Gator Bowl, Johnson had nine catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort. Johnson had a great game, with only Southern California receiver, Dwayne Jarrett, beating his yardage total.
Academic Activities
During the 2006 summer, Johnson was given the option of working on either constructing environmentally friendly luxury condos, or a project building solar latrines to improve sanitation in Bolivia. Johnson chose the latter, as he wanted to help the less fortunate. He plans to travel to Bolivia in January 2007 as part of the project.
Pro career
2007 NFL Draft
Johnson was SI.com’s Midseason 2007 NFL Draft Projection #1 Sports Illustrated: NFL Midseason Draft Projection: #1, Calvin Johnson SI later projected Calvin to be the #4 overall pick in the draft, though Johnson had stated that he intended to earn his degree from Georgia Tech. On January 8, 2007, Calvin Johnson declared himself eligible for the NFL draft, bypassing his senior season at Georgia Tech.<ref name=”Draft”/> He is regarded as the best player in the draft; for example, he is the #1 player on ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr’s “big board.”Mel Kiper’s Big Board. Was draft to the Detroit Lions.
Awards
- First-Team Freshman All-American 2004
- All-American 2005 (AFCA, 1st team; AP, 2nd team; Walter Camp, 2nd team) and 2006 (AFCA, 1st team; Walter Camp, 1st team)
- First-Team All-ACC, 2004, 2005 and 2006
- ACC Rookie of the Year, 2004
- ACC Player of the Year, 2006
- Best Wide Receiver in the nation by IGN.com, via NCAA Football 07 IGN: NCAA Football 07: Top 25 Wide Receivers
- Biletnikoff Award, 2006