Eric Johnson II: Indianapolis Colts Rookie Files

With the NFL seeming like a dream just a short time ago, Johnson now has the opportunity to create a role for himself along the Colts’ defensive line.

Most college football players will not make it to the NFL.

With hundreds of collegiate football programs across the country, most players at this level will not have a chance at the next level.

This fact is increasingly true at the lower levels of college football. Most draft picks are taken from programs at the higher Division I level, where they have experience against top competition.

But while the odds are stacked against them, it is not impossible to become a professional football player. Sometimes all it takes is a little pre-draft noise to get on a team’s radar.

This is “Rookie Files,” a series on Horseshoe Huddle that gives you the backstory of every rookie for the Indianapolis Colts. Going player by player, we look at their journeys to the NFL and what makes each one unique while also detailing how they help the Colts. Next is Eric Johnson II, whose dream of playing in the NFL did not seem obtainable until right before the NFL draft.

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The Creature

Johnson was born on July 16, 1998, in Normal, Illinois, to Eric Johnson and Kesha Richardson. Eric Sr. also has a background in football, earning All-MVFC honors as a defensive lineman at Illinois State. He was invited to New York Jets training camp for a tryout in 1997 and played professionally for ten seasons in the CFL, XFL, and indoor football league.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Johnson had an affinity for the game of football growing up. He loved physical sports, which is why he was drawn to wrestling as well. Johnson would find success in both.

Growing up, Johnson was always called E.J. by his friends and family. But as he began his freshman year at Plainfield South High School in Plainfield, Illinois, another player on the team went by E.J. as well. Because of this, “The Creature” was born.

“It was a nickname we kind of came up with because most of my life, I’ve always been E.J.,” Johnson explained. “My full name is Eric Morris Johnson II, but we had a guy there, a senior in front of me, his name was Eugene Sutton, so he was also E.J. We were just coming up with some different names that we could get. I know me and my dad, we always talk about personas. You know, playing the game, when you’re going out there, what do you want to play like? Like a creature, like an animal. That’s just kind of how it came about.”

Johnson took the nickname, and the persona, to heart. He quickly became a menace on the football field under head coach Kenneth Bublitz, earning all-conference as a junior. Johnson capped off his high school career with a whopping 29 tackles for loss and 17 sacks his senior season, earning all-conference recognition once again.

“The Creature” also took care of business on the wrestling mat. Johnson finished second at the 2015 IHSA Class 3A state wrestling tournament and was the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class throughout his senior year. It is safe to say Johnson embodied the nickname given to him.

Despite his stellar senior season, Johnson was a no-star recruit and did not receive any offers from Division I FBS programs. Johnson had generated some interest from FCS schools, however, and ultimately signed with Missouri State. Johnson was taking his talents to the conference his father had dominated in the early 90s.

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Six-Year College Experience

Johnson redshirted his first year at Missouri State in 2016 but immediately began to have an impact on the Bears in 2017.

Johnson played in all 11 games in 2017 with nine starts and registered 18 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one sack. 2018 was even better, as he again started nine games and had 25 tackles, four tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Johnson even showed off his long wingspan, blocking a field goal attempt as a sophomore.

But 2019 brought about a down year in Johnson’s redshirt junior year. He registered just 18 tackles, with no tackles for loss and no sacks. He also started just seven games, the lowest of his career.

At this point, the NFL wasn’t on Johnson’s radar. He was not having a great enough impact to think he could one day make it to the league. Johnson had not even earned All-MVFC honorable mention in his three seasons.

In 2020, the Bears underwent a coaching change. Out was Dave Steckel, who had been there since 2016 and recruited Johnson to Missouri State. In was Bobby Petrino, the former Louisville and Arkansas head coach who spent time as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2007.

Petrino brought in a new coaching staff, including defensive line coach L.D. Scott. Scott had built a reputation on being one of the nation’s top recruiters and defensive line specialists. Scott immediately got to work with Johnson, seeing the athletic potential the young man had. The physical tools were there for Johnson, but it was Scott’s job to help round him into a formidable football player.

As the two got to work and Johnson began to see the results from Scott’s coaching, he started to believe. Maybe the NFL was still in play, after all.

“It didn’t really hit me until like later on when I started seeing some success with my coach,” Johnson recalled. “He just started teaching me a little bit more, then when I started applying that to my game, I started seeing more of that success. That’s when it kind of dawned on me that the possibilities were there and that as long as I take the opportunity, I could keep going with it.”

His redshirt senior season saw a resurgence from Johnson, tallying 27 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and another blocked field goal. Johnson was named Second-Team All-MVFC for the first time in his career.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all collegiate athletes were afforded an extra year of eligibility. Because of the success he had seen working with Scott, Johnson decided to come back for a sixth season at Missouri State and continue working on his game. The decision paid off.

Johnson racked up 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, two pass deflections, and blocked two more point after attempts. Johnson earned Second-Team All-MVFC honors once again and capped off his six-year run at Missouri State with a school record 55 consecutive games played. The NFL no longer seemed like a pipe dream for Johnson.

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Generating Draft Buzz

After a stellar senior season for the Bears, Johnson decided to make a push for the NFL draft. While there was no guarantee he would be drafted, Johnson wanted to work out and stay prepared in case he was invited to an NFL training camp as an undrafted free agent.

Johnson was invited to play at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game and showcase his talents against other draft hopefuls. He was considered to be one of the best defensive linemen at the game, consistently winning reps in practice and showing off his athleticism. Johnson even recorded a sack during the game.

After the game, Johnson was scheduled to head back to Chicago to continue training when his agent called him. Johnson was being asked to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl. So, Johnson quickly hopped on a flight to Mobile, Alabama, for another opportunity to showcase his talents.

Going up against some of the top prospects in the country, Johnson held his own and impressed scouts with his explosiveness and strength along the interior. The draft buzz was starting to get louder around the small-school lineman.

“For me especially, it was really important because I was under the radar for a lot of people,” Johnson said. “Coming from a smaller division, not a lot of people saw more film of me and a lot of people didn’t know me. That was a good opportunity for teams to be able to see my abilities and how I can play at that type of level.”

One of the teams that took notice was the Colts. The Colts brass met with Johnson down at the Senior Bowl and brought Johnson in for a private workout. To Johnson, they seemed very serious about him from the jump.

“Out of all of the visits, the Colts visit was the most in depth when it came to analyzing us as a player, the process we went through when it came to seeing the facility, seeing the coaches, the staff and it was all kind of very in depth in getting the full look at everything.”

That visit was a sign of things to come. The Colts took Johnson with the No. 159 pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, something Johnson did not even think was attainable just a couple of years ago.

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How Johnson Helps the Colts

Johnson comes to the Colts with a prime opportunity to carve out a role on the defensive line.

At 6-4 and 299 pounds with an 83-inch wingspan, Johnson is a powerful lineman that can keep blockers from getting their hands on him. He shows nice burst off the line of scrimmage and wraps up ball carriers at the point of attack. His length also gives him an advantage in blocking kicks on special teams, as evident by the numerous kicks he blocked at Missouri State.

The Colts have played Johnson along the interior of the defensive line since he arrived in Indy. Listed as the backup nose tackle to Grover Stewart, Johnson has been tasked with manning the interior and helping stop the run for the Colts’ defense.

Johnson has struggled at times acclimating to the NFL game. He has been taken off his spot and has had trouble getting off of his blocks. However, Johnson has shown explosiveness, and coaches have talked about how hard he has been working.

The Colts only have four defensive tackles on the active roster. With Johnson being one of those four, a role on the defensive line is ready for the taking. Johnson will need to adjust quickly to the level of competition and show he is making progress each week as the Colts go through the season.

While the road to the NFL for small school players is not easy, Johnson has proven it is possible. By continuing to work hard at his craft even when the odds were not good, he ascended at the right time and made himself into a solid NFL prospect.

And “The Creature” may not be done just yet.

More Rookie Files

• WR Alec Pierce
• TE Jelani Woods
• OT Bernhard Raimann
• S Nick Cross

Have thoughts on Eric Johnson II and the Rookie Files series? Let us know in the comments below!

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