Michael Johnson, DE Georgia Tech

Posted by Adam Hart April 5, 2009 at 11:44 pm

Michael Johnson: 6′6 7/8, 266 lbs

Johnson is a strong, strong man who played defensive end for the Yellow Jackets. His arms are almost as big as mine.

A strong work ethic has been instilled in Johnson, whose NFL prospects are outlined in that AJC article. But there is one theme that will be tough to get past for certain head coaches who stress versatility:

At Tech, the Yellow Jackets asked Johnson to do a lot, according to defensive line coach Giff Smith. Johnson had to rush the passer, play the run and sometimes cover the tight end or running backs in pass coverage…

…“I think Mike will be a better pro than he was a college football player,” his father said. “The game fits him better. His natural athleticism is more geared toward the pro game. He had to do a lot of things on the defensive side of the ball at Georgia Tech that he won’t have to do in pro ball.”

It’s not the player saying it, but anytime someone wants less responsibility, it doesn’t reflect well on his self-confidence. A good thing to come out of that article is Johnson’s “turn the other cheek” response to questions about, what the article deemed, “bashing” brought by NFL Network Draft analyst Mike Mayock.

Johnson impressed at his Pro Day.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a YouTube video that does not feature Michael Johnson lifting weights and showing off his guns.

40-yard dash	Bench Press	Vertical Jump	3-cone drill	20-yard shuttle	Broad Jump
4.61	23	–	7.42	–	–