Wideout enters draft 40 years after dad
AUSTIN — Last summer, Texas coach Tom Herman gave the team a few days off to enjoy Fourth of July weekend. It was supposed to be a brief reprieve from the onslaught of summer conditioning and training.
Senior wideout Collin Johnson didn’t see it that way.
“I look on the internet and there’s Collin getting a workout in on his own,” Herman recalled. “That’s the kind of guy he is. This is a guy that works his tail off, man.”
Putting in the work has never been an issue for Collin and his older brother, Kirk, another Longhorn whose collegiate career was ravaged by miserable injury luck. They had a seasoned guide to making it as an FBS and, hopefully, pro player in their father, former Texas All-American and 10-year NFL veteran defensive back Johnnie Johnson.
“The guys who get to the league and actually stick are guys that have a certain work ethic, a certain mindset and a certain skill,” Johnnie said Thursday. “There’s a resiliency factor that they have. And that’s why I was looking to instill that into my kids when they were very young.”
Forty years after the Los Angeles Rams selected Johnnie 17th overall, Collin is projected to be a mid-to-late-round pick in this year’s NFL draft, which began Thursday night. Kirk is hoping to latch onto a team as an undrafted free agent.
A few years ago scouts and analysts spoke of the 6foot-6 receiver as a firstround pick. Phenomenal size. Solid hands. Gigantic catch radius. Evolving body control. A potential sideline and red-zone dynamo.
That hype swelled after Collin dominated No. 4 USC in a double-overtime road loss as a sophomore — 191 yards on seven receptions, each catch made with an almost intrinsic grace and air of ease.
But Collin took a slight backseat to breakout slot star Lil’Jordan Humphrey in 2018. The same happened with Devin Duvernay in 2019 while a lingering hamstring injury limited him to seven games.
“Couple years ago everyone was telling me I was a lock in the first round, then you see where I am today,” Collin said. “It’s crazy how that stuff works and it’s really important to not get too caught up in that and let it get to your head or let it ruin your confidence because at the end of the day you just need a shot.”
Collin returned for Texas’ Alamo Bowl rout of No. 11 Utah. He finished with three receptions for 62 yards and a 5-yard touchdown grab in a game the Longhorns controlled with an overpowering ground attack.
But a hip injury just before the NFL combine prevented Collin from working out in front of scouts and coaches in Indianapolis.
And the cancellation of Texas’ pro day due to the COVID-19 pandemic nixed another opportunity to showcase his skills.
So over the past month, with training facilities and gyms in his home state of California shuttered, Collin has gotten creative. He’s got the footage to prove it, too.
Snaring passes while performing backflips — on sand. Balancing on an exercise ball while playing catch with footballs and tennis balls. Dangling upside down from a heavy bag to perform inverted crunches.
“So it’s been crazy, been a curveball for sure,” Collin said. “But at the end of the day you’ve gotta control what you can control and that’s just working hard and being creative with your workouts.”
The Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers have all expressed interest in Collin in a draft flush with talented wideouts. Others will keep an eye on a player who recorded 106 receptions for 1,544 yards and 10 touchdowns over his final 20 games.
“When it comes to the NFL, it's not necessarily about where you are drafted,” Johnnie said. “It's about that opportunity and how you take advantage of the opportunity. So Collin is taking the initiative to take the steps to prepare the best he can, and when that opportunity presents itself then it's time to go take advantage of it.”
Collin said he expects to hear his name called sometime Friday (rounds two and three) or Saturday (rounds four-seven). What happens after that is anyone’s guess.
No one is certain when, or if, we’ll get a NFL season in 2020. But at the least, all those years of work will have landed Collin one of the nation’s rarest and most coveted jobs: pro football player.
“It's a huge step in life, but it's just a stepping stone,” Johnnie said. “We want to look at it that way. Because the only thing the draft indicates to you is now you know which team it’s time for you to go to work for.”