Plumber To NFL: Rookie Leonard Johnson Fought All The Odds

Leonard Johnson, a cornerback out of Duke University who went undrafted, came to camp for the New York Giants in East Rutherford on Monday morning, according to an amazing account by Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. This summer, Johnson agreed to a three-year, $2.69 million contract with the organisation.

We are aware that the Giants are taking a shot on him as an undrafted player this summer. What makes that so unique?

Plumber To NFL, Rookie Leonard Johnson Fought All The Odds

Numerous players on the New York Giants roster are already regarded as fan favourites. On the offensive side, the list includes Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones, while the defensive side includes Dexter Lawrence and Xavier McKinney.

A new player joined the New York Giants’ offseason camp earlier this week, and once Giants fans learn about his background, they’ll quickly grow to love him.

Johnson’s experience is unique in that this chance almost never presented itself to him.

Let’s go back in time with this tale. During the 2018 season, Johnson played for Duke for the first time. Ironically, Daniel Jones’ first season with the Blue Devils was also his final, as the quarterback would be selected in the following month’s NFL Draught.

He started 39 out of a potential 48 games over his four seasons at Duke, missing just one. In total, he made 165 tackles, caused three turnovers, and grabbed six interceptions, one of which is shown in the video below.

From the start of Duke’s Pro Day in 2021 to the end, he was the image of health and reliability. The late-round lottery talent was then dealt the final blow to adversity two weeks later when he suffered a ruptured ACL and damaged meniscus during an offseason exercise.

Johnson continued to pursue his passion despite the injuries, although it did cause him to put it on pause. After hearing of the injury, he missed hearing his name called during the 2022 draught. From that point on, he had to fight to get back on the pitch.

Long before he signed with the Giants, Leonard Johnson was widely renowned for his work ethic.

Johnson realised he had to work during the downtime between his physical treatment appointments. As a result, he allegedly asked a friend’s father for a job at A&T Burrow Septic Tank and Sewer Service and started lifting 100-pound septic tank lids and mending faulty pipes close to his house in northern Alabama, as per Dunleavy and The Post.

Despite the injuries, he never let his ambition go entirely, and just one year later, he is about to start living it.

He allegedly worked out privately with the Giants last month, and the organisation reportedly liked what they saw. Johnson, who is now taking part in the team’s optional offseason programme, was given a deal that was comparable to what he would have received as a pick in the late rounds of the 2022 draught.

Therefore, keep an eye on Leonard Johnson if you’re seeking for a new “favourite player” on the Giants club this season. He has already confounded expectations, and he intends to do so once more.

 

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