Johnson to attend NFL draft in Las Vegas
Seminoles.com
Jermaine Johnson II is one of 21 players who will attend the 2022 NFL draft in Las Vegas.
Johnson was one of the most impactful pass rushers in the country last season after transferring to Florida State from Georgia. A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., he was a first-team All-American, first-team All-ACC and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in ACC history to earn a conference offensive or defensive Player of the Year award in his first season with an ACC program. He joins former FSU quarterback Jameis Winston, who was the 2013 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, as the only players to earn an ACC Player of the Year recognition in his first season of ACC competition.
Johnson started all 12 games last season and recorded 70 tackles, 18.0 for loss with 12.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, 12 quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and one fumble recovery. He led the ACC in tackles for loss and sacks, and his sacks total was the highest for an FSU defender since Demarcus Walker in 2016. His tackles total was the most among all Power 5 defensive linemen, and he was the only Power 5 player with at least 3.0 sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss in multiple games.
He saved his best moments for the brightest lights, registering a career-best 5.0 tackles for loss and a career-high-tying 3.0 sacks in FSU’s 31-28 win over Miami. No player in the history of the FSU-Miami rivalry has recorded more tackles for loss in one game, and his tackles for loss and sacks totals were both single-game highs for any ACC defender in 2021
In the season opener against No. 9 Notre Dame, played on Sunday night of Labor Day weekend on ABC, he made a then-career-high seven tackles, 2.5 for loss with 1.5 sacks, and was the first FSU defender to reach those benchmarks against a ranked opponent since Brian Burns in 2017. Burns went on to be the 16th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
Florida State has produced 292 all-time NFL draft picks and 45 first-round selections. The 2022 NFL draft is set for April 28-30 and will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN
