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Johnson played in 17 games with five starts in his two seasons at Cal as a 2014 junior and 2015 senior after transferring from Pierce College while spending time at Snow College. Johnson registered two-season career totals of 34 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss (-22 yards), 3.0 sacks (-18 yards), one fumble recovery and four quarterback hurries. He had his biggest season as a senior when he recorded 20 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss (-12 yards), 2.0 sacks (-8 yards), three quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery. Before arriving at Cal, Johnson earned Southern California Football Association American Division Pacific Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore in 2013 when he led squad and ranked third in the SCFA’s American Division with 7.0 sacks (-38 yards) and tied for second on the club with 10.0 tackles for loss (-43 yards).
Cal Career (2014-15)
• Played in 17 games off the bench with five starts during his two campaigns with the program as a 2014 junior and 2015 senior
• Registered two-season career totals of 34 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss (-22 yards), 3.0 sacks (-18 yards), one fumble recovery and four quarterback hurries
• Registered career-high numbers in nearly every category as a senior when he played in 10 games with five starts and recorded 20 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss (-12 yards), 2.0 sacks (-8 yards), three quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery
• Had a career-high six tackles vs. UCLA and his lone quarterback hurry at Cal in his first game with the Bears against vs. Sacramento State as a junior, while recording all of his other single-game career bests as a senior with 2.0 tackles for loss vs. Washington State; 1.5 sacks, seven tackle for loss and sack yards at Washington and 1.5 sacks at Washington
Senior (2015)
• Registered career-high numbers in nearly every category playing in 10 games with five starts and recorded 20 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss (-12 yards), 2.0 sacks (-8 yards), three quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery
• Had strong back-to-back games at Washington (2.0 TFL, -4 yards; 1.5 sacks, -7 yards), and vs. Washington State (0.5 sacks/TFL, -7 yards)
• Posted a season-high five tackles vs. USC
• Had 0.5 tackles for loss (-1 yard) vs. San Diego State
• Recovered his lone career fumble at Texas
• Also recorded stops in other contests vs. Grambling State (3), at Oregon (3), vs. San Diego State (2), at Texas (1)
• Had two tackles in the spring game
Junior (2014)
• Made a significant contribution to a defensive line that helped the Cal defense move up 48 spots from the previous season to No. 38 in rushing defense (144.6 ypg), cutting 44 yards off its per-game average allowed from the 2013 campaign
• Played in seven games off the bench and contributed 14 tackles, 1.0 sack (-14 yards), 1.0 tackle for loss (-14 yards) and one quarterback hurry
• Saw action in six of the last seven games after getting into only one of the first five
• Had a career-high six tackles vs. UCLA, while his lone career sack came at Oregon State for a career-high 10 yards and his lone career quarterback hurry and first tackle in his first game at Cal vs. Sacramento State
• Recorded three tackles in the season finale vs. BYU while he had two stops against Oregon and one each at Oregon State and USC
• One of three players along with early high school graduate freshman Devante Downs and fellow junior college transfer Trevor Kelly who were mid-year enrollees and participated with the team during its spring practices
• Had one tackle in the spring game
Pierce College (2012-13)
• Earned Southern California Football Association American Division Pacific Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore in 2013
• Led his sophomore squad and ranked third in the SCFA’s American Division with 7.0 sacks (-38 yards) and tied for second on the club with 10.0 tackles for loss (-43 yards)
• Added 34 tackles as a sophomore to lead the team’s defensive lineman as well as one fumble recovery and one pass breakup for a squad that won the American Bowl, finished 9-2 overall and 6-1 in conference play while leading the SCFA in both total defense (291.8 ypg) and scoring defense (20.5 ppg)
• Used a medical redshirt in 2012 due to injury
Snow College (2011)
• Played in two games as a 2011 freshman, recording four tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss (-34 yards), 3.0 sacks (-30 yards) and one forced fumble
Recruiting Notes (Junior College Class of 2014)
• A three-star recruit according to 247Sports, 247Sports Composite, ESPN, Rivals and Scout
• Listed among the nation’s top overall junior college players by 247Sports Composite (No. 108) and 247Sports (No. 135)
• Listed among the nation’s top junior college weak-side defensive ends by 247Sports Composite (No. 6) and 247Sports (No. 8), as well as the top defensive ends by ESPN (No. 10)
• 247Sports Composite (No. 27) and 247Sports (No. 37) had him among the top junior college players overall in California
• Received an 85 grade from 247Sports, while 247Sports Composite had him at 0.8464, ESPN at 77 and Rivals at 5.5
Woodland Hills HS (Class of 2011)
• Earned WPIAL AAA All-Big East League honors as a 2010 senior when he recorded 16.0 sacks to break a school record
• Team combined for a 21-6 mark over his final two campaigns from 2009-10 and finished among the state’s MaxPreps top 10 both seasons at No. 3 as a 2009 junior and No. 10 as a 2010 senior, adding a WPIAL AAA Big East title during his junior season
Other
• Full name is Jonathan Leander Johnson
• Born July 10, 1993
• Mother is Cheryl Johnson
• Graduated from Cal in December of 2015 with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies
Johnson's Career Game Highs
Tackles: 6 (vs. UCLA, 2014)
Tackles For Loss: 2.0 (vs. Washington State, 2015)
Tackle For Loss Yards: 7 (at Washington, 2015)
Sacks: 1.5 (at Washington, 2015)
Sack Yards: 7 (at Washington, 2015)
Fumble Recoveries: 1 (at Texas, 2015)
Quarterback Hurries: 1 (at Texas, 2015)
Last Updated
March 23, 2017
