Nico Johnson
Encyclopedia
Nico Johnson is an American football
linebacker
. He currently attends the University of Alabama
in his junior year. Johnson is considered one of the best outside linebackers in his class.
in Alabama, where he recorded 78 tackles, 32 assists, one fumble recovery, one blocked punt and 11 interceptions during his senior season. As a junior, he made 80 tackles and blocked one field goal attempt.
Johnson received ASWA first team All-State honors three consecutive times and was named to the Orlando Sentinel
′s All-Southern Team (AL) and the Press Register′s Super Southeast 120 (#12). He also earned All-American honors by Parade, was a finalist for the High School Butkus Award, and was selected U.S. Army All-American Bowl
, where he led the West squad with four solo tackles, including two tackles for loss.
Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com
, Johnson was ranked as the No. 2 outside linebacker prospect. He has made numerous visits to Alabama and said one of the reasons he chose the Crimson Tide over finalists Auburn
, Florida
, Louisiana State
and Southern California
was to be near his mother, who suffered from diabetes.
Johnson started the season as a backup, but soon had to step in for the injured Dont'a Hightower
. He played in 12 games as a true freshman and made three starts at weak-side inside linebacker ("Will") next to Rolando McClain
, against South Carolina, Tennessee and Chattanooga. He finished the 2009 season
with 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss (−18 yards) and one quarterback sack
(−15 yards), earning a freshman All-SEC selection by the league coaches and Sporting News.
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...
. He currently attends the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
in his junior year. Johnson is considered one of the best outside linebackers in his class.
High school career
Johnson attended Andalusia High SchoolAndalusia High School
The Andalusia High School is a high school in Andalusia, Alabama, founded in 1899. The school colors are cardinal and white and the school mascot is the bulldog.-Extracurricular and service activities:Among the extracurricular activities offered are:...
in Alabama, where he recorded 78 tackles, 32 assists, one fumble recovery, one blocked punt and 11 interceptions during his senior season. As a junior, he made 80 tackles and blocked one field goal attempt.
Johnson received ASWA first team All-State honors three consecutive times and was named to the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
′s All-Southern Team (AL) and the Press Register′s Super Southeast 120 (#12). He also earned All-American honors by Parade, was a finalist for the High School Butkus Award, and was selected U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
, where he led the West squad with four solo tackles, including two tackles for loss.
Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, Johnson was ranked as the No. 2 outside linebacker prospect. He has made numerous visits to Alabama and said one of the reasons he chose the Crimson Tide over finalists Auburn
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Louisiana State
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
and Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
was to be near his mother, who suffered from diabetes.
College career
In May 2009, Johnson was accused of "a verbal, non-physical altercation with another male," filed by a relative of a fellow Andalusia High School student (considered a minor). He was acquitted of the charge three weeks later.Johnson started the season as a backup, but soon had to step in for the injured Dont'a Hightower
Dont'a Hightower
Dont'a Hightower is an American football linebacker. He is currently attending the University of Alabama in his junior year. He was granted a medical redshirt after his original sophomore campaign was cut short by a knee injury in the fourth game of the season...
. He played in 12 games as a true freshman and made three starts at weak-side inside linebacker ("Will") next to Rolando McClain
Rolando McClain
-Oakland Raiders:McClain signed his contract with the Raiders on July 28, 2010, in time to make the first day of training camp. The contract is estimated to be for $40 million over 5 years....
, against South Carolina, Tennessee and Chattanooga. He finished the 2009 season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
with 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss (−18 yards) and one quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
(−15 yards), earning a freshman All-SEC selection by the league coaches and Sporting News.
College career statistics
- Correct as of game played December 12, 2010.
! rowspan=2|Year !! rowspan=2|GP–GS !! colspan=4|Tackles !! Sacks !! colspan=4|Pass Defense !! colspan=2|Fumbles !! Blocked>! Solo !! Ast !! Total !! Loss–Yards !! No–Yards !! Int–Yards !! BU !! PD !! QBH !! Rcv–Yards !! FF !! Kick> | 2009 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football teamThe 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 77th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 18th within the SEC Western Division...
>> 16 11 27 4.5–18 1–15 0–0 2 2 0 0–0 1 0 2010 2010 Alabama Crimson Tide football teamThe 2010 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 118th overall season, 78th as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 19th within the SEC Western Division...
> 11 19 10 29 2.5-2 1-0 1 2 1 0-0 0 0 Total 23-12
! 27 !! 30 !! 37 !! 33.5-18 !! 3.5-17 !! 1-0 !! 3 !! 4 !! 1 !! 0-0 !! 1 !! 0
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