ESPN Ranks Calvin Johnson No. 57 in Their Top 100 Athletes Of The 21st Century Rankings

Johnson is one of the greatest receivers in college and professional football history

Nov 18, 2006; Atlanta, GA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver (21) Calvin Johnson makes a long catch past Duke cornerback John Talley (11) in the first half of the game at Bobby-Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Gooley-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Gooley-USA TODAY Sports

Calvin Johnson is one of the greatest football players that ever lived. He is arguably the best college receiver of all time and was the top wide receiver when he played in the NFL and is a recent Pro Football Hall of Famer. Johnson was in the news this week when it was announced that he was going to be inducted into the Pride of the Lions in Detroit and today, Johnson ranked No. 57 in ESPN's list of the top 100 athletes of the 21st Century.

Here is what they had to say about the former Georgia Tech receiver:

Key accomplishments: Hall of Famer, six-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro, HOF All-2010s Team, single-season receiving yards record

"Known as Megatron, Johnson was at the peak of his powers in 2012. That's when he set an NFL single-season record with 1,964 receiving yards, breaking Jerry Rice's record of 1,848 that had stood since 1985. "It was an unbelievable thing to play with a guy like that. I think from day one, I knew that I was throwing to a Hall of Famer as long as he stayed healthy," Matthew Stafford, Johnson's quarterback during the receiver's last seven seasons with the Detroit Lions, told ESPN in 2021. "He was a special player and a great person, a great teammate." At 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, Johnson possessed a 42½-inch vertical leap that allowed him to outjump defenders in video game fashion."

WATCH: The moment @calvinjohnsonjr found out he would be inducted into the Pride of the Lions! pic.twitter.com/dAGwQwNXBC

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) July 15, 2024

Johnson is one of the best Detroit Lions and arguably the best player to come through Georgia Tech. The Lions drafted Johnson with the No. 2 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft and he would go on to have a Hall of Fame Career with the Detroit Lions.

From ProFootballHOF:

"Johnson was an immediate contributor to Chan Gailey’s offense, recording 48 catches, 837 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in his first season in Atlanta. He was named ACC Rookie of the Week four times as a freshman and immediately garnered national attention. The week-by-week accolades helped Johnson earn first-team All-ACC honors as a freshman, a rare accomplishment.

This momentum carried into Johnson’s sophomore season. He caught 54 passes for 888 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games, again earning a spot on the All-ACC first team.

Johnson entered his junior season with a lot of hype, appearing on almost every preseason list for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy. He lived up to the expectations and produced his best season, becoming one of the greatest Yellow Jackets of all time. Johnson recorded 76 catches for 1,202 yards and 15 touchdowns, production that earned him a third consecutive first-team All-ACC bid."