Johnnie Johnson: Longhorns Legend, Rams Rookie of the Year, and College Football Hall of Famer

October 8, 1956 – Johnnie Johnson, the former safety from the University of Texas. According to his bio page on texassports.com, Johnnie was a Consensus All-American in the 1978 and 1979 football seasons. In 1979, he was selected as the top defensive back in the nation by the Downtown Athletic Club. Besides anchoring the defensive backfield with 13 college career interceptions for the Longhorns, he was also an excellent punt returner, as he had a career total of 1,004 return yards. The National Football Foundation selected Johnnie Johnson into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. Johnson was picked in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams and played 11 NFL seasons for the team. The stellar athlete was voted the 1980 NFL Rookie of the Year and earned several NFL All-Pro honors during his professional career.

Draft: 1980 NFL Draft, 1st round (17th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams. Teams: Los Angeles Rams (1980–1988, 1990*), Seattle Seahawks (1989). *The 1990 Rams stint was offseason/practice squad. Rookie Award: 1980 NFL Rookie of the Year. All-Pro: First-team All-Pro (1983). Rams Record: Holds the Rams record for the longest interception return (99 yards vs. Green Bay Packers in 1980). Other Accolades: PFWA All-Rookie Team (1980). Career Totals (NFL): 22 Interceptions, 5 Touchdowns (career stats over 10 active seasons).