First of all, I am excited that “From the East Side” has made its return to The St. Louis American.
So much has happened since we last appeared, yet not much has changed with the great athletes here in East St. Louis, especially on the football field.
…there is one former Flyer that I want to single out. Antonio “AJ” Johnson was a former standout player at Texas A&M who is now turning heads in training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In the past three years, the East St. Louis Flyers have won a couple of state championships and have sent 43 players to the college football ranks around the country. You have great players such as Luther Burden III (Missouri), Parris Patterson (Arkansas), Brandon Henderson and Antwon Hayden (Illinois) and Myles McVay (Alabama). The list just goes on and on.
However, there is one former Flyer that I want to single out. Antonio “AJ” Johnson was a former standout player at Texas A&M who is now turning heads in training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson was the 160th pick in the fifth round of the National Football League Draft in April. So far, he’s been dubbed as “The Steal” with how he has looked during training camp.
Many people in NFL circles wondered why it took so long for the 6’3” 195-pound defensive back to be drafted after he was projected to be selected in the second or third round. The draft-day process was a long 48 hours that had many people shocked and confused.
There was speculation from NFL pundits that the reason Johnson wasn’t taken early was because they felt that Texas A&M defensive players just hadn’t panned out well after being taken early in previous drafts.
In addition, a lot of scouts weren’t sure where Anderson would line up, having played in “The Box” in Texas A&M’s defensive scheme. However, Johnson has been stellar during the early stages of training camp. At times, he has even been running with the first unit after showing flashes of potential with two interceptions in camp.
Johnson will certainly play on the special teams and possibly in the Jaguars’ nickel package on defense if he continues to produce and stay healthy. However, it remains to be seen where Johnson will fit on defense, whether it’s cornerback or safety.
But, one thing is for sure as we head into the preseason schedule, Johnson is making a name for himself in training camp. And the folks in the “89 Blocks” in East St. Louis can’t wait to see him shine this season.
