Johnson was born on May 18, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama.[2][1] His father died by suicide when he was an infant and Johnson grew up in government subsidized housing in Pinson, Alabama.[1] At age 15, he was taken in by the family of quarterback Bo Nix, whose father Pat was his high school football coach.[3][4] He played football at Pinson Valley High School, with Nix and helped them win the class 6A state championship.[4]
Johnson was a three-year starter at the school and was a first-team all-state selection as a junior when he caught 106 receptions for 1,457 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a 17-catch, 247-yard, three-touchdown performance in one game which was the eighth-most catches in a game in state history.[5][6][7] He caught 62 passes for 1,140 yards and 12 scores as a senior while being invited to the Alabama–Mississippi All-Star Game.[6] Ranked a three-star recruit and the 39th-best player in the state by ESPN, he chose to play college football for the Troy Trojans.[6]
College career
Johnson entered Troy in 2020 and as a true freshman played 11 games totaling 18 receptions for 211 yards.[8] He was the team's leading receiver in 2021 with 67 catches for 735 yards and four touchdowns, being named third-team All-Sun Belt Conference.[7][9] He remained Troy's top receiver in 2022, being named honorable mention all-conference while totaling 56 receptions for 863 yards and four scores.[10][11] Johnson entered the NCAA transfer portal following the 2022 season.[12]
Johnson ultimately transferred to the Oregon Ducks, joining his adoptive brother Bo Nix, the team's starting quarterback.[13] He became Oregon's second-leading receiver, behind Troy Franklin, and helped them reach the 2023 Pac-12 Conference title game.[14][15] In the 2024 season, Johnson played in 12 games, recording 83 receptions for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns. On January 6, 2025, Johnson declared for the 2025 NFL draft.[16]
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