Johnson, the No. 26 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, joins Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, selected fourth overall, as Jets first-round picks under contract.
The Jets are looking to make an impact this season with an upgraded defense. Johnson, at defensive end, projects to play an immediate role for second-year head coach, Robert Saleh.
Johnson signed a fully-guaranteed four-year, $13.1 million rookie deal, per multiple reports. The includes a $6.7 million signing bonus and the standard fifth-year option for the Jets.
For Florida State, Johnson was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, leading the conference with 12 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss to go with 2 forced fumbles and 2 pass defenses.
Saleh said of Johnson: “Big, long, explosive. He’s got great athleticism, violence to his game. He’s very smart. He’s probably the most pro ready of all the pass rushers this year in terms of having a repertoire to his game and something we can add to. Really a perfect fit for what we do defensively with our wide-nine system, putting him on an edge, getting him firing off the ball and attacking. Really going to be a great complement to the group that we already have.”
Jets general manager Joe Douglas moved up from 35 to 26, in this year’s draft, to select Johnson.
With Johnson and Gardner signed and ready to go, the Jets defense is primed to shift into another gear as offseason workouts and preparation continues.
Anthony Rushing is on Twitter @TonyRushingNY
Baseline Sports NY is on Twitter @Baseline_NY
