Utah DB Jaylon Johnson declares for NFL Draft - to skip the Alamo Bowl

In arguably the least shocking news, Utah star defensive back Jaylon Johnson has made it official and will declare for the NFL Draft forgoing his final season at Utah. This was Johnson’s plan since day one, and he has been very clear on what his plans are, but it’s still a bummer to see it official like this, for fans. The big business of the NFL will also keep Jaylon from participating in the Alamo Bowl, as he has elected to forgo playing in that game to prepare for the draft.

I don’t care for the NFL game, at all, and I hate that the big money of the money has hurt bowl season over the last few years. I get the move by players like Jaylon, but it definitely hurts the college game when top tier players skill bowl games.

Joining Johnson not playing in the bowl game are Julian Blackmon and RJ Hubert, who cannot play due to injuries, as Coach Whitt announced earlier in the week. Utah’s secondary is going to be thin against a good passing attack of Texas.

As of now, Johnson is the only “NFL-er” planning not to play against the Longhorns.

Per UtahUtes.com, here’s a run down of Johnson’s career at Utah, one that will cement him as a Utah legend in the long line of legendary Utah DBs to suit up.

UTAH: First-team All-Pac-12 cornerback will vie for All-America honors as a junior … 2018 first-team Pac-12 All-Academic.

2019: Started all 12 games at left corner … tied for third in the Pac-12 and leads Utah with 10 pass breakups … fourth in the league in passes defended (12) and passes defended per game (1.00) … two interceptions … 33 tackles (1.0 TFL) … tied career high with eight tackles (1.0 TFL) and had two pass breakups against Oregon State … an interception and two pass breakups vs. Washington State … five tackles with a pass breakup vs. Colorado … four tackles and a pass breakup against BYU … three tackles vs. Washington and returned an interception 39 for his second career touchdown.

2018–First-team All-Pac-12 … started all 14 games at corner … four interceptions led Utah and tied for third in the Pac-12 … second in the Pac-12 and eighth in the nation with 126 interception return yards … four pass breakups … 41 tackles (2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) … career-high eight tackles (1.0 TFL) and a pass breakup against Northern Illinois … named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception 100 yards for a touchdown against Stanford for just the third 100-yard interception return in Utah’s history … also had seven tackles vs. the Cardinal … five tackles and an interception against Arizona State … an interception and three tackles against USC … an interception with a 21-yard return and two tackles vs. Colorado … two pass breakups vs. Washington in the Pac-12 Championship game … first-team Pac-12 All-Academic.

2017–Played in all 12 regular season games with two starts (Arizona, Washington) … missed the bowl game following surgery … tied for the team lead with six pass breakups and second on the team in passes defended (7) … 25 tackles … season-high six tackles vs. Washington State and Washington … four tackles and a pass breakup against Arizona State … three tackles against Arizona … one interception, two pass breakups and a tackle against BYU.