Montrell Johnson Jr., Florida Football News: Draft Scout Player News

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04/25/22 - RB Montrell Johnson Jr., Sr/2025, Florida

After a freshman season that many desire yet few experience, Montrell Johnson made the difficult decision to leave Louisiana - though he insists he didn't initially intend to follow his coach in 2021, Billy Napier, to the Florida football program. "I was still focusing on our bowl game and trying to win that. I was focused on ending the season right," Johnson recalled. "After the season, I didn't really think about it as much." With his first spring at Florida in the books, Johnson has set the record straight on his arrival in Gainesville with Napier: they weren't a package deal in any sense.

During his freshman season, he rushed for 838 yards along with 12 rushing touchdowns and was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, but Johnson already was focused on tougher competition. "I knew that I could play at a higher level," he said. "I knew that Florida could be one of those places I could be at." Not that his freshman season altered his thinking in any way. He may have had a three-star designation as a prospect by 247Sports coming out of De La Salle in New Orleans, but Johnson didn't think of himself as a middle-of-the-pack player. His perception of his ability didn't lead to a wave of offers from Southeastern Conference programs, however, with only Tennessee and Vanderbilt extending scholarship offers. Nearby LSU didn't think he had what it took to compete weekly against the nation's best collegiate talent. "It was a huge chip on my shoulder. I felt like I was very under-recruited in high school," Johnson said. "I wanted to come in and show what I can do." - Gainesville Sun

Sr/2025