Jeremi Johnson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jeremi Johnson | |
|---|---|
 The Cincinnati Bengals' Jeremi Johnson |
|
| Date of birth | September 4, 1980 (age 26) |
| Place of birth |  Louisville, Kentucky |
| Position(s) | Fullback |
| College | Indiana University Western Kentucky University |
| NFL Draft | 2003 / Round 4 / Pick 21 |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 2003-Present | Cincinnati Bengals |
Jeremi Johnson (born September 4, 1980 in Louisville, Kentucky,) is an American professional football running back for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals.
Johnson was a standout for Ballard High School, rushing for over 2,000 yards and scoring 35 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons. As a collegiate player, Jeremi Johnson played his first three seasons at Indiana University, where he was named to the All-Big Ten Conference freshman team in 1999.) However, in 2002, Johnson suffered a hamstring injury in spring practice and, according to reports, Johnson believed it was just a minor injury and didn't believe an MRI test was necessary. Head coach Gerry DiNardo believed otherwise, and Johnson's scholarship was rescinded.
A subsequent application for entry into the supplemental NFL draft was unsuccessful because Johnson didn't meet its hardship requirements.
Jeremi Johnson transferred to Western Kentucky University for his senior season, where he was a key player on the Hilltoppers' NCAA Division 1-AA championship team. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL draft.
Primarily used as a blocking fullback, the 5'-11", 265-pound Johnson is a powerful "north-south" runner who compliments Bengals halfbacks Rudi Johnson (no relation) and Chris Perry. Johnson has also proven himself to be an outstanding receiver and compares favorably to other versatile fullbacks of recent years such as Darryl "Moose" Johnston, Tom Rathman, and Mike Alstott.
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis calls Johnson "an integral part" of the Bengals' offense.
