Former Florida State Star Turns First Career Interception Into Touchdown For Jets
Jermaine Johnson continues his breakout sophomore campaign, coming down with a pick six in the New York Jets' Thursday Night game against the Cleveland Browns. It's his first career interception and his first career NFL touchdown. The score came at a time when the Jets desperately needed points late in the opening half.
Johnson has recorded 50 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 6 pass deflections, and a forced fumble so far this season, and now adds an interception and a touchdown to his stats. The former Florida State star had just 2.5 sacks his rookie year, but has played more this season and has made the most of it.
The Jets selected Jermaine Johnson 26th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft as the team's third first-round pick that year. It was hard for him to initially crack a rotation with Carl Lawson, Bryce Hall, and John Franklin-Myers, but he has started all 15 games this season as Lawson has seen less playing time. He was pushing hard for Pro Bowl votes down the stretch, but the voting hasn't been announced yet.
As a transfer from Georgia, Johnson made the most of his lone season at Florida State, racking up 70 total tackles, 17.5 TFLs, 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a scoop-and-score on his way to winning 2021 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. His success allowed Florida State to convince Jared Verse to come to Tallahassee, who should be a first-round pick in his own right in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
READ MORE: Mike Norvell Discusses Tate Rodemaker's Decision To Transfer From Florida State
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