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Bill Carroll interviews Brian Johnson
Interviewed on: Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 Bill Carroll: Brian Johnson is a 5’11.6” 194 pound dual threat QB who has played some WR as recently as junior college and has a best time of 4.58 from those days. When I asked him about a possible position change to WR or FS he indicated he was open to it: Brian Johnson: I have played some receiver in junior college and I am open to playing another position, I just want to play. BC: Tell me about the transition from a 2 year to a 4 year program and what differences did you notice? BJ: Well I did notice that the guys are bigger at this level but I’d actually say back home [in junior college] there was more speed we had a lot of guys who had transferred in from D-I and they were trying to get out. People take the level of competition at junior college for granted. It’s very competitive guys are trying to get signed. BC: Brian did any of your JC teammates also play FBS college football? BJ: One of my teammates is playing at Idaho and one is at Nevada, I see them when I go back home and we work out together. BC: Brian what led to you going all the way across the country from near LA to Washington D.C? BJ: I was looking to experience something new, to get out of LA and see what the United States had to offer. BC: When I wrote about one of your games earlier this year I compared you to Seneca Wallace, are you familiar with him, have you seen him play? BJ: Yes, yes he’s one of the quarterbacks I watch and try to pattern my game after. BC: Have you had any feedback from any NFL franchises? BJ: Well the Eagles were the first to show any interest in me, the got a height, weight and a Wonderlic on me earlier, I have had some interest from the Giants as a Wideout and Washington was looking at me as a running back. BC: Really, they must have been thinking they could put some more weight on you? BJ: That’s what I said, that was a new one. [He laughs] BC: I bet, now thinking about the guys you have played with and against in the MEAC, who jumped out at you, who were the guys you saw and thought, “He definitely could play on Sunday.” BJ: This season we played Hampton and they have 2 D Ends, [Kendal Langford and Marcus Dixon] and I’d heard people talking about him, [Langford] might go in the first round but I didn’t see it. Coming up Bobbie Williams from FAMU and I practice against Rudy Hardie, he’s a real headache you always have to know where he is. BC: Speaking of bookend Defensive Ends playing opposite Hardie you have a player who even if he isn’t drafted when he gets to a camp he’ll be hard to cut. BJ: Yes he’s good, you’re worried about Rudy and he causes another headache. BC: Brian do you have any specific plans to prepare for your pro day? BJ: Yes I will be training with my trainer, Eric Knalls; I have been working with him for a while. BC: Do you have any specific goals for your pro day? BJ: Well since I am being looked at as a wide receiver I’d like to run in the 4.4s BC: That never hurts, speaking of hurt you have played hurt some this season, and I think you had a ribcage injury? BJ: I have had it the last 3 or 4 weeks it’s between a strain and a bruise it does it hurt so much when I get hit, but when I go down and guys land on me it does. BC: I bet, well it’s a testament to your toughness that you have only missed a few plays, I know that most teams want to move you but I hope you do get a chance to work out as a QB. Just how strong is your arm and by that I mean in a practice or game situation how far can you drive the ball, on the routes that require that you gun it, with accuracy? BJ: I can throw the deep out about 18 yards, the comeback 25 yards, the 9 route I can throw 45 yards in a game. BC: That seems like enough arm to me, I will keep in touch with you and we will be creating a user name fir the site and you choose your password. BJ: Thank you. BC: Thank you. |