4/23/05

Derrick Johnson selected No. 15 overall by Kansas City Chiefs

· Kansas City Chiefs news release
· What They're Saying: Derrick Johnson

	Derrick Johnson (Photo courtesy of Rod Aydelotte, Waco Tribune-Herald)

University of Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 15th pick of the first round of Saturday¹s NFL Draft. Johnson becomes just the second UT linebacker in history selected in the first round. The only previous one was Tommy Nobis, who was the first overall selection in the 1966 draft.

Johnson becomes the first Longhorn to be drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs since DT Ken Hackemack in the fifth round in 1990. He goes to the Chiefs, where former UT Co-Defensive Coordinator Greg Robinson coached with current head coach Dick Vermeil as defensive coordinator.

"I think (Derrick) liked playing in Greg's defensive scheme and how they taught him fundamentally to play," Vermeil said. "They changed their scheme and techniques and how he played within that scheme and he played well. We had determined even as early as yesterday morning that if Derrick Johnson or Thomas Davis was sitting there, we'd take that player when it became our No. 15 pick. It ended up being Derrick Johnson, a guy with tremendous athletic talent and range and potential."

"He was the first linebacker taken," head coach Mack Brown said of Johnson's selection. "When people look at linebackers, he was the best in the country. Detroit is where most people thought he would go, but they decided to go with offense instead of defense at that time. I would think probably the best evaluator for Derrick Johnson last year was Greg Robinson. Dick Vermeil probably talked to him and Greg said, 'You better grab him if you get a chance to.' For Cedric and Derrick to be two of the Top 15 players in the country is a great compliment to them, our coaches and their evaluation, and The University of Texas."

Johnson joins RB Cedric Benson, who was taken with the fourth overall pick by the Chicago Bears, as a first-round selection, marking the fourth time in five years and eighth time overall that UT has had two players selected in the first round of a draft.

With both players going in the first round, it is just the second time in Longhorns history the program has had a pair of first-round picks in consecutive years. OT Leonard and DT Casey Hampton were first-rounders in 2001 and were followed by CB Quentin Jammer and OT Mike Williams in 2002. In 2004, WR Roy Williams and DT Marcus Tubbs were selected in the first round prior to Benson and Johnson this year. Johnson becomes the 13th player coached by Mack Brown to be drafted in the first round in the last eight years.

Johnson is a two-time consensus first-team All-American, three-time first-team All-Big 12 pick and the 2004 Butkus Award winner (nation¹s top LB), Nagurski Award winner (nation¹s top defensive player) and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was the first UT linebacker since Nobis in 1964-65 to earn first-team All-America honors twice and the first ever to be a two-time consensus first-team All-American. Johnson finished his career with a school record 65 tackles for loss, 458 tackles (No. 3 on the UT all-time list), 10 forced fumbles (No. 5 on the UT all-time chart) and a UT record for LBs nine interceptions. He registered 130 tackles, 19 TFLs, 10 QB pressures and a UT and NCAA single-season record nine forced fumbles in 2004.