Ex-KU LB Johnson gets NFL combine invite

By Matt Tait     Feb 8, 2012

Nick Krug
Kansas linebacker Steven Johnson catches up with Iowa State quarterback Jared Barnett after a long run in the second quarter on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.

The Kansas Jayhawks are back in the NFL combine.

After a one-year hiatus, the Kansas University football program once again will be represented at this year’s combine in Indianapolis, as linebacker Steven Johnson recently received an invitation to attend the world’s most publicized job interview for college football players eyeing the jump to the NFL.

The former walk-on, who eventually earned a scholarship and finished his career by leading Kansas in tackles during both his junior and senior seasons, likely solidified his invitation with a strong showing in this year’s East-West Shrine Game in January. During the game in St. Petersburg, Fla., Johnson recorded five tackles for the victorious West squad.

As a senior at KU, the Media, Pa., native led the Big 12 Conference in tackles (93) and finished the season ranked 16th in the nation with 124. Johnson, who earned both second team and third team all-league honors following KU’s 2-10 season, also finished in the top 25 nationally in solo tackles with 66.

The last time a Jayhawk participated in the NFL combine was in February of 2010, when former KU stars Dezmon Briscoe, Kerry Meier and Darrell Stuckey all ran through the four-day event that measures everything from size and speed to intelligence and intangibles. All three were drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft, and Johnson, who has spent the past few weeks training in Arizona, hopes to join them.

This year’s combine, which will feature more than 300 NFL hopefuls, will run from Feb. 22-28. Johnson will attend from Feb. 24-27, with his skills testing scheduled for the final day.

The 2012 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 26-28.

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.