Four Jackets picked for pros

The start of Michael Johnson’s professional football career didn’t start out as planned.

Tabbed a potential first-round draft pick, the dynamic defensive end from Georgia Tech fell to the third round, where the Cincinnati Bengals scooped him up Sunday.

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Jason Getz/jgetz@ajc.com

Michael Johnson, one of the best pass rushers in Tech history, joins a Cincinnati team that had just 17 sacks last season.

Which drafted Yellow Jacket will have most success in the NFL?
Andrew Gardner
Michael Johnson
Darryl Richard
Vance Walker
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Given his chance, he’ll take care of the rest.

“I thought I’d be [drafted] on Saturday, but you play the cards you’re dealt,” Johnson said Sunday by phone from his family’s home in Selma, Ala. “I look forward to going in there and proving myself. I’m going to go earn my money.”

Johnson was one of four former Tech players to be selected Sunday in rounds 3-7 of the NFL draft. The Miami Dolphins picked offensive tackle Andrew Gardner in the sixth round, the Falcons took defensive tackle Vance Walker with the first pick in the seventh and the New England Patriots tabbed defensive tackle Darryl Richard later in the seventh. It’s Tech’s largest draft class since 2004, when five Jackets were selected.

Johnson, one of the best pass rushers in Tech history, will have a chance to play immediately as a pass-rush specialist. The Bengals managed 17 sacks last season, tied for second fewest in the NFL.

However, he’ll have to deal with the criticism that his consistency and desire did not match his considerable physical talent. The issue hounded him in the run-up to the draft and even from his new employer.

“This kid is a tremendous, tremendous athlete,” Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said Sunday at a news conference. “He doesn’t play hard all the time. That’s our job, to make sure that he does that.”

Johnson, an all-American last season, said he’ll go to Cincinnati this week before the Bengals’ rookie mini-camp next weekend to get started as soon as he can.

“Any complaint that anyone might have is what I’m going to focus on more now until it becomes a strength,” Johnson said.

At least one teammate will be familiar, defensive end and former Jacket Eric Henderson. Johnson said they spoke Sunday.

“I’m looking forward to going up there and learning from him the same way I did when I came to Tech,” Johnson said.

Gardner, a two-time first-team all-ACC selection, received a lot of pre-draft attention from the Dolphins, agent Lester Archambeau said. Undoubtedly, his season-ending shoulder surgery (to repair a now-healed torn labrum) caused his stock to drop. Gardner, who was a lightly recruited player out of Sandy Creek High School but went on to start 48 consecutive games for Tech, may get looks at both guard and tackle.

Walker and Richard, who partnered in the middle of the Tech defense for the past two seasons, both have reason to be excited about their new employers.

Walker, who turned 22 Sunday, lives in the Duluth area, not far from the Falcons’ Flowery Branch complex. Richard, who holds an MBA and aspires to be in sports administration, will go to the Patriots, one of the best-run franchises.

After going undrafted, cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels planned to sign with the San Francisco 49ers as a rookie free agent, according to Tech spokesman Dean Buchan. Other former Jackets, such as linebacker Tony Clark and long snapper Bret White, were also hoping to land with teams.