Brian Johnston (American football)
Encyclopedia
Brian Thomas Johnston is an American football
linebacker
currently a Free Agent of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Gardner-Webb.
in San Diego, California
, where he was a two-time First-team All-Harbor League selection (as a junior and senior). He totaled 82 tackles (30 solo), 10 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and six passes defensed as a senior.
As a senior in 2007 he started all 11 games at left defensive end, and had 74 tackles (34 solo), 24 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, a forced fumble, three passes defensed and a three-yard TD catch on offense. He earned numerous college division First-team All-America
selections and was named First-team All-Big South Conference
for the third consecutive season and was the Defensive Most Valuable Player for the second straight season as well. He also was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award
in 2007. In 2006 he started 11 contests at left defensive end, totaling 77 tackles (35 solo), 14 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery and was Second-team All-America honors by The NFL Draft Report, Associated Press
and Football Gazette and was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and a First-team All-Big South Conference selection. In 2005 he started all 11 games in his first season at right defensive end, totaling 59 tackles (28 solo) with 5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass defensed and a blocked kick and was also named First-team All-Big Conference conference for the first time. Johnston played in nine games as a true freshman making seven starts at outside linebacker and making 58 tackles (24 solo), 2.sacks, 5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and two passes defensed.
Johnston was claimed by the Detroit Lions
off of waivers on May 28, but failed his physical and was not added to the team's roster.
on January 6, 2010.
in the eighth round of the 2011 UFL
draft.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
currently a Free Agent of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Gardner-Webb.
Early years
Johnston was a defensive end at Madison High SchoolJames Madison High School (California)
For schools with a similar name, see Madison High School.James Madison High School is a public high school in San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. Madison's campus opened in 1962...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, where he was a two-time First-team All-Harbor League selection (as a junior and senior). He totaled 82 tackles (30 solo), 10 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and six passes defensed as a senior.
College career
For his career (2004–2007) Johnston played in 42 games and started 40 at Gardner-Webb. His career totals were 268 tackles (124 solo), 21 sacks and 55.5 tackles for loss, ten forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, six passes defensed, and one blocked kick. He also caught a three-yard TD pass on offense, as well.As a senior in 2007 he started all 11 games at left defensive end, and had 74 tackles (34 solo), 24 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, a forced fumble, three passes defensed and a three-yard TD catch on offense. He earned numerous college division First-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selections and was named First-team All-Big South Conference
Big South Conference
The Big South Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. The conference's football teams are part of the Football Championship Subdivision...
for the third consecutive season and was the Defensive Most Valuable Player for the second straight season as well. He also was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award
Buck Buchanan Award
The Buck Buchanan Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding defensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football, and was first given in 1995 after the Walter Payton Award was designated solely for offensive players.The trophy was named in honor of the...
in 2007. In 2006 he started 11 contests at left defensive end, totaling 77 tackles (35 solo), 14 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery and was Second-team All-America honors by The NFL Draft Report, Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and Football Gazette and was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and a First-team All-Big South Conference selection. In 2005 he started all 11 games in his first season at right defensive end, totaling 59 tackles (28 solo) with 5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass defensed and a blocked kick and was also named First-team All-Big Conference conference for the first time. Johnston played in nine games as a true freshman making seven starts at outside linebacker and making 58 tackles (24 solo), 2.sacks, 5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and two passes defensed.
Pre-draft
| Pre-draft measureables | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6–4¼ ** | 274 ** | 4.66 ** | 1.51 ** | 2.66 ** | 4.18 ** | 6.96** | 35" ** | 9'07" ** | 31 ** | 16 ** | |||||||||
| ** represents Pro Day | |||||||||||||||||||
Kansas City Chiefs
He became the first player the Chiefs took from Gardner-Webb when they selected him with the first of their two seventh-round picks (210th overall) in 2008. In 2008 he played 9 games and made 3 tackles. He was waived by the Chiefs on May 26, 2009.Johnston was claimed by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
off of waivers on May 28, but failed his physical and was not added to the team's roster.
Miami Dolphins
After spending the 2009 season out of football, Johnston signed a future contract with the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on January 6, 2010.
UFL
Johnston was drafted by the Omaha NighthawksOmaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
in the eighth round of the 2011 UFL
UFL
UFL or UFl may refer to:Chemistry:* Upper flammable limit, the flammability limit describing the richest flammable mixture of a combustible gasColleges and universities:...
draft.