BREAKING: Jermaine Johnson selected in first round of 2022 NFL Draft
There was no if heading into the opening night of the 2022 NFL Draft for former Florida State defensive end Jermaine Johnson, only when. Johnson entered the offseason with buzz that he could shore up his first-round status with a solid showing at the Senior Bowl.
READ MORE: Florida State defensive back transfer lands in the SEC
Not only did he perform, he straight up dominated the offensive tackles in attendance. A few weeks later, Johnson impressed once again at the NFL Combine. Weighing in at 6-foot-5, 254-pounds, he ran a 4.58 40-yard dash, recorded a 32-inch verticle jump, and broad-jumped 12 feet-5 inches.
Coupling his standout senior season with his body of work at the senior bowl and combine, the Minnesota native has been a popular rising name in mock drafts leading up to the real thing.
On Thursday night, Johnson lived up to the hype by being selected in the first round but he slipped farther than expected after a few surprising moves by teams in the top-20.
Stopping his fall, the New York Jets elected to pick Johnson with the No. 26 overall pick to shore up their defense after trading with the Tennessee Titans.
With there being a premium on edge-rushers in this class, Johnson's skillset became too tantalizing to let him drop down the board any farther. Not only can he get after the quarterback at an extremely high level, but he can also set the edge as a valuable run-stopper.
READ MORE: 2022 FSU Offense Depth Chart Projections: post-spring practice
The 2021 ACC Defensive Player of the Year recorded 70 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a defensive touchdown during his lone season at Florida State. Transferring in from Georgia, Johnson became the leader of the Seminoles' defense. His five tackles for loss in the win over Miami were the most ever in a single game in the history of the rivalry.
Johnson is the 46th first-round pick in Florida State program history. He's one of 14 Seminoles to ever be selected inside the top-10 and the first since 2016 (Jalen Ramsey, Jaguars). Johnson is the fifth first-round defensive end that the program has produced since 2000.
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