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Georgia Tech Football Countdown to Kickoff: No.21 WR Calvin Johnson

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson rushes upfield against Syracuse in the Champs Sports Bowl at the Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida Dec 21, 2004. Georgia Tech defeated Syracuse. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson rushes upfield against Syracuse in the Champs Sports Bowl at the Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida Dec 21, 2004. Georgia Tech defeated Syracuse. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) /
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The only way to continue the countdown to kickoff with 21 days remaining is to spotlight a Georgia Tech legend.

With no current Georgia Tech football player currently wearing No.21, we take a step back in time to look at one of the GOATs of Georgia Tech football. None other than wide receiver and Georgia Tech’s only five-star recruiting in the recruiting service era, Calvin Johnson.

Very few players have come through The Flats in the football program’s history and has had as much of an impact. The Newman, Georgia native was a five-star recruit in the 2004 recruiting class and committed to the Yellow Jackets over other programs such as Georgia, Miami, and Notre Dame.

As soon as Johnson stepped on campus, he was an immediate impact player and a rising star for the Jackets. As a true freshman, Johnson was an All-ACC First Team selection thanks to a 48 reception season that saw him put up 837-yards and seven touchdowns. As a sophomore, Johnson put up similar numbers with 54 receptions, 888-yards, and six touchdowns. He earned his second straight All-ACC First Team honors while also being an All-American for the first time as well.

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Entering his junior year, Johnson was considered one of the top receivers in the country and a potential first round draft pick. His junior season, however, would skyrocket his draft stock and legacy on The Flats.

That season, Johnson set career highs across the board with 76 receptions, 1,202-yards, and 15 touchdowns. Thanks to his record breaking season, he would go onto be an All-ACC First Team selection for the third straight season, the ACC Player of the Year, an unanimous All-American selection, while also winning the Biletnikoff trophy as the nation’s top wide receiver.

Following the 2006 season, he would declare for the NFL and performed well at the combine and his pro day. He was expected to be a early first round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft and was drafted by the Detroit Lions with the second overall pick. A risky selection for any NFL franchise.

Johnson of course would go onto play in the NFL for nine seasons where he would go onto be one of the best receivers to ever play the game before his sudden retirement following the 2017 season. He broke numerous records including the NFL single season receiving yards record in 2012. This past season, Johnson was honored by Georgia Tech and was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame as well as the College Football Hall of Fame.

Now to finish off here’s a random but one of the more interesting Calvin Johnson facts. That fact is that for a while, it looked like Calvin would play both football and baseball for Georgia Tech. That wouldn’t come to fruition however as Johnson’s mother was worried it would be too much for Calvin to balance.

Only 21 more days until the meets leather in Death Valley as the Yellow Jackets take on the Clemson Tigers to open their 2019 season!