Who Is Kerryon Johnson and How Tall is He?

The 2018 National Football League (NFL) draft was a dream come true for some players who looked forward to being selected by any of the 32 clubs in the league. One of such lucky and deserving players is  Kerryon Johnson who was picked by the Detroit Lions as a running back for the team.

His career is still in its infancy with a lot of detail remaining unknown about his background. Be that as it may, we have put together all you need to know about the footballer such that you can speak about him like you watched him grow up. The paragraphs below will satiate you.

Who is Kerryon Johnson?

Kerryon Johnson was born on June 30, 1997, in the beautiful city of Huntsville, Alabama to Kelly and Natalie Johnson. He is the youngest of four athletic children (two boys and two girls), including Kerron (brother) and sisters Kolanda and Nyla.

His decision to build a career in football probably stems from the fact that he comes from a family that is deeply rooted in sports, with his parents taking the lead. Both of his parents played college football before his father eventually became a coach in the sport. Mr. Kelly also owns and operates an athletic training facility (VSI Training) in Huntsville, Alabama where he works with athletes in every sport from children to professionals like Joshua Langford. After playing hoops at Chipola Community College in Marianna, Florida, his mother later became a home health nurse.

Speaking of Kerryon’s siblings, his elder brother is a professional basketballer. In 2009, he beat out future NBA star DeMarcus Cousins, becoming the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s “Mr. Basketball’ for the year. Kerron also played in Germany and Italy. In the same vein, his sister Nyla played college basketball at Faulkner University and is now a graduate assistant women’s basketball coach at Alabama A&M. The family’s oldest child, Kolanda diverted her athletic skills to dancing and is equally a published author.

As a child, Kerryon Johnson’s older siblings hit him with elbows while playing hoops but his parents did not bother to swoop in and save him from the physical games. This was the beginning of his development and preparation for where he finally is today. According to the athlete, he is filled with nothing but gratitude looking back at those days because it taught him to be competitive and how to work hard and never give up.

The running back attended Madison Academy, Madison, Alabama, where he played both football and hoops. He played both sports so well that he even became an all-state pick in high school hoops. Johnson played in multiple positions in the school’s football team and also led the team to three state championship games in three seasons, recording a total of 5,274  yards and 109 touchdowns.

During his senior year, Kerryon Johnson led his team to their third consecutive state title, resulting in their 25 games win in a row and back-to-back Class 3A titles. He also set a state record in the championship game with six touchdowns. In his senior season, he made 1,659 rushing yards, 25 touchdowns, earning the 2015 Alabama’s Mr. Football award.

He also won the following titles as a high school player: the  John Stallworth athlete of the year award, Gatorade state player of the year, the MVP of Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game, and USA Today All-American in 2014.

After his high school, Kerryon emerged as one of the top-five running back prospects nationally and as expected, he attracted many scholarship offers from different colleges but chose Auburn University.

Kerryon Johnson played 13 games in his freshman year in 2015, making one start, 208 rushing yards on 52 carries with 3 touchdowns He made 14 receptions for 159 yards and 14 kick returns for 386 yards.

In 2016, he shared carries with Kamryn Pettway, his fellow sophomore, playing as a tailback and kick returner. Johnson played 12 games and started 6, recording 895 rushing yards on 182 carries and 11 touchdowns.

During his junior season, the footballer took over the lead-back role with 1,391 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns (ranked second) on 285 carries in 12 games. The footballer earned for himself the second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-SEC honors.

His NFL Career

Having had an explosive season during his junior year, Kerryon Johnson forwent his senior year to enter the 2018 NFL Draft. Selected in the second round by the Detroit Lions, he was the sixth running back and the 43rd overall player to be picked in the draft. He would be playing in the position alongside Theo Riddick, Ameer Abdullah and LeGarrette Blount who was signed by the team in March 2018, as a free agent.

See Also: Who is Samaje Perine, The NFL Running Back? His Wife, Brother, Bio

Kerryon Johnson made his professional debut on 10th September 2018, with five carries for 17 yards for a 3.4-yard average and was able to gain more yards after his initial contact. He also had three catches for 20 yards.

As he plays into his career, a lot is expected to come from this young and vibrant footballer who already has everything going right for him.

How Tall is The NFL Star?

The Lion’s running back has unusual build for the position with a linear frame and thin hips which make him look more like a receiver. He measures 1.83 m tall (6 feet) and has a body weight of 213 pounds (97 kg). His arms and hands measure 32.5 inches and 9.75 inches respectively.