Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, born February 24, 1987, and sometimes nicknamed DJK,[1] was a wide receiver for the Iowa Hawkeyes during the 2007-2010 seasons, and also the Iowa Hawkeye's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. Currently, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is a wide receiver of the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. During the 2007 season, Johnson-Koulianos caught 38 passes for 482 yards and two touchdowns. In 2008 he caught 44 passes for 639 yards and 3 touchdowns. In 2009, his productivity once again increased as he caught 45 passes for 750 yards and 2 touchdowns.[2]
Contents |
While at Cardinal Mooney High School, Johnson-Koulianos received Ohio first-team all-state honors as a junior and a senior. On June 17, 2006,[3] he was named Most Valuable Player for the Ohio team at the Big 33 Football Classic.[4] Running for 138 yards and throwing for 118, Johnson-Koulianos had a part in three Ohio touchdowns.[3]
Before the season began, Johnson-Koulianos appeared on a few college football award watch lists. He was one of the nation's 48 top collegiate players named to the inaugural Paul Hornung Award, awarded to college football's most versatile athlete, as well as selected for the Biletnikoff Award watch list, awarded to college football's top receiver.[5]
In the season opener against Eastern Illinois, Johnson-Koulianos caught just 1 pass for 4 yards. The next week, against Iowa State, he grabbed 5 receptions for 65 yards. In the Hawkeyes' 3rd game of the year, a 34-27 loss to Arizona, Johnson-Koulianos hauled in 7 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown, which sparked an Iowa run of 20 unanswered points. Johnson-Koulianos followed his efforts against the Wildcats by hauling in 4 catches for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 45-0 rout of Ball State. The next week against Penn State, he made 4 catches for 64 yards and the only receiving touchdown of the game for the Hawkeyes. In his next game (against the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor), Johnson-Koulianos would not disappoint, grabbing 4 receptions for 70 yards; three of them were touchdowns. In a 31-30 loss to the 2010 Wisconsin Badgers, Johnson-Koulianos caught 5 passes for 93 yards and a TD.
On December 7, 2010, Johnson-Koulianos was arrested on multiple drug charges. Accordingly, he was suspended for the Hawkeye's bowl game, ending his college career.[6] On January 24, 2011, Johnson-Koulianos pleaded guilty to marijuana possession. As a result, the other drug charges against him were dismissed. He was granted a deferred judgment and received a year of self-probation, plus a $315 fine.[7]
| Year | Team | G | Rec | Yards | AVG | TD |
| 2007 | Iowa | 12 | 38 | 482 | 11.9 | 2 |
| 2008 | Iowa | 13 | 44 | 639 | 14.5 | 3 |
| 2009 | Iowa | 12 | 45 | 750 | 16.7 | 2 |
| 2010 | Iowa | 12 | 46 | 745 | 16.2 | 10 |
| Total | 49 | 173 | 2616 | 15.1 | 17 |
Derrell Johnson-Koulianos went undrafted in the NFL, but was signed by the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League on October 19th, 2011. He still can join the NFL depending on his outcome in Canada.