David Johnson (running back)

David Johnson
No. 31 Arizona Cardinals
Position: Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1991-12-16) December 16, 1991
Place of birth: Memphis, Tennessee
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school: Clinton (IA)
College: Northern Iowa
NFL draft: 2015 / Round: 3 / Pick: 86
Career history
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2015
Rushing yards: 581
Rushing TDs: 8
Receiving yards: 457
Receiving TDs: 4
Return yards: 598
Return TDs: 1
Player stats at NFL.com

David Johnson (born December 16, 1991) is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northern Iowa.

Early years

Johnson attended Clinton High School in Clinton, Iowa, where he was a three-sport star in football, track and basketball. He played as a running back and defensive back for the River Kings high school football team. He set numerous school records including touchdowns in a season, career receptions, career receiving yards, career and single-season total offense and single game record for touchdowns. As a senior, Johnson led Clinton to an 11-1 record while accounting for a school-record 42 touchdowns. For his efforts, he was selected 2009 Outstanding Offensive Player for Clinton. In four seasons, Johnson compiled an impressive 4,682 rushing yards (on 5.4 YPC) and 49 rushing touchdowns to go along with 1,734 receiving yards and another 14 receiving scores. As if that wasn't enough, Johnson took up kick returning as a senior, averaging 36.5 yards per attempt and even took one back for a touchdown. He was invited to play at the 2010 Shrine Bowl All-Star Game, where he showed excellent vision and speed.[1] Academically, Johnson maintained over a 3.0 GPA throughout high school.

In track & field, Johnson was a two-time Drake and state qualifier. He earned second-place finishes in both the 4 × 200 and 4 × 400 relays at the 2009 Drake Relays, while also recording a personal-best time of 11.03 seconds in the 100-meter dash.[2] At the 2009 Iowa State T&F Championships, he took ninth in the preliminary rounds of the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.34 seconds.[3] Also a starter on the basketball team, Johnson was named second-team All-conference as a junior. He helped lead the River Kings to the state tournament during his senior season, where he averaged a team-best 15.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He was a first-team All-league selection in the Mississippi Athletic Conference and a third-team All-state pick by the Iowa Newspaper Association. He was also a second-team All-state selection by the Des Moines Register.

He committed to the University of Northern Iowa to play college football.[4]

College career

Johnson attended Northern Iowa from 2010 to 2014. After redshirting in 2010, he played in 13 games, with five starts, as a redshirt freshman in 2011. He had 179 rushes for 822 yards with nine rushing touchdowns and also had 33 receptions for 422 yards and three touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2012, Johnson started seven of 12 games. He finished the year with 1,021 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. As a junior, Johnson started 10 of 11 games. He rushed for 1,286 yards on 222 carries.[5][6] As a senior, Johnson rushed for 1,553 yards on 287 carries with 17 rushing touchdowns.[7] During the season, he set numerous school records, including career rushing yards, career rushing touchdowns and career all-purpose yards.[8]

Professional career

NFL Draft

Pre-draft measurables
Ht Wt 40-yd dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert Broad BP
6 ft 1 in 224 lb 4.50 s 1.55 s 2.58 s 4.27 s 6.82 s 41.5 in 10 ft 7 in 25 reps
All values from NFL Combine

Following a standout career at UNI, Johnson declared for the 2015 NFL Draft and was projected to be a second or third round pick after a promising showing during the NFL combine and UNI's Pro Day. On May 1, 2015, Johnson was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the 3rd round with the 86th overall pick. Johnson became the 7th running back drafted in 2015 and the only player drafted from Northern Iowa in that year.[9] He also was the highest drafted player out of Northern Iowa since Jacksonville Jaguars selected Brad Meester in the 2000 NFL Draft.[10]

Arizona Cardinals

On May 18, 2015, Johnson was signed to a 4-year, $2.9 million contract with a $639,373 signing bonus and $639,373 guaranteed.[11]

Johnson opened the season as the fourth string running back behind veterans Andre Ellington, Chris Johnson, and Stepfan Taylor.[12] On September 13, 2015, Johnson played in his first career game against the New Orleans Saints and finished the season opener with one reception for a 55-yard touchdown. The following week, he received more playing time against the Chicago Bears after Andre Ellington was injured the previous game. Johnson carried the ball 5 times for 42-yards and scored his first career rushing touchdown in a 48-23 victory over the Bears. During a Week 5 matchup at Detroit, Johnson scored 2 rushing touchdowns on only 3 carries for 6-yards and helped his team defeat the Detroit Lions 42-17.

December 6, 2015, marked Johnson's first career start after Chris Johnson suffered a fractured tibia the previous game.[13] In his first start, he had 22 attempts, 99 rushing yards, 2 catches, 21 receiving yards, and a touchdown reception[14] in a 27-3 win over the St. Louis Rams.[15] Of those 99 rushing yards, they included rushes of 17 yards, 23 yards, and 10 yards.[16][17][18]

On December 20, 2015, Johnson had his third consecutive start and racked up a season-high 29 carries for 187-yards and 3 rushing touchdowns,[19][20][21] while also accounting for 4 catches for 42-yards in a win over the Philadelphia Eagles.[22]

On December 27, 2015, Johnson posted 39 rushing yards in 9 carries and a rushing touchdown as well as 88 receiving yards with 3 catches against the Green Bay Packers.[23][24] Of those 88 receiving yards, they included a 44-yard gain and a 29-yard gain.[25][26]

On January 3, 2016, Johnson was held in check by the Seattle Seahawks. He rushed 11 times for just 25 yards and caught three of eight targets for 34 yards.[27]

On January 24, 2016, Johnson posted 60 rushing yards in 15 carries and a rushing touchdown as well as 68 receiving yards in 9 catches against the Carolina Panthers.[28][29] Of those 60 rushing yards, they included a 23-yard gain and a 15-yard gain.[30][31] Johnson also included a 16 yard reception.[32]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2015/1/28/7920009/nfl-draft-2015-david-johnson-northern-iowa-running-back
  2. ↑ http://www.godrakebulldogs.com/downloads1/115917.htm?ATCLID=3728441&SPSID=71588&SPID=8142&DB_OEM_ID=15700
  3. ↑ http://ia.milesplit.com/meets/55092/results/93727
  4. ↑ Johnson is the one who didn’t get away
  5. ↑ David Johnson's determination puts the hammer down on UNI foes
  6. ↑ Johnson looking more and more like NFL prospect
  7. ↑ Honors continue for Panthers’ Johnson
  8. ↑ David Johnson's monster night helps UNI advance
  9. ↑ "NFL Draft Profile:RB David Johnson". Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  10. ↑ Andy Hamilton. "David Johnson UNI's highest NFL draft pick in 15 years". Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  11. ↑ Sportrac.com. "Arizona Cardinals:David Johnson salary details". Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  12. ↑ Jess Root. "Arizona Cardinal's depth chart". Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  13. ↑ Associated Press (December 1, 2015). "Cardinals' Chris Johnson is out for season". Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Highlight: Palmer hits Johnson for a 10-yard TD". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  15. ↑ "Cardinals vs. Rams - Box Score - December 6, 2015 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  16. ↑ "Highlight: David Johnson rushes for 10-yard gain". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  17. ↑ "Highlight: David Johnson runs for a 23-yard gain". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  18. ↑ "Highlight: David Johnson rushes for a 17-yard gain". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  19. ↑ "Highlight: David Johnson scores third touchdown". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  20. ↑ "Highlight: Johnson goes 'Beast Mode'". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  21. ↑ "Highlight: Johnson finishes drive with 1-yard TD". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  22. ↑ "Cardinals vs. Eagles - Game Recap - December 20, 2015 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  23. ↑ "Packers vs. Cardinals - Box Score - December 27, 2015 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  24. ↑ "Highlight: Johnson runs 14 yards for a touchdown". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  25. ↑ "Highlight: Palmer finds David Johnson for 29 yards". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  26. ↑ "Highlight: Jukin' David Johnson". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  27. ↑ "Cardinals' David Johnson: Held in check against Seattle". CBS Sports. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  28. ↑ "Cardinals vs. Panthers - Box Score - January 24, 2016 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  29. ↑ "Highlight: David Johnson drives in TD". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  30. ↑ "Highlight: Johnson hustles for 23-yard gain". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  31. ↑ "Highlight: Johnson makes 15-yard run". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  32. ↑ "Highlight: David Johnson forces first down". www.azcardinals.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.

External links

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