Undersized small-school walk-on on precipice of NFL dream

It was the night of Aug. 29, 2019, and South Dakota State wide receiver Cade Johnson was leaving the field at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium in defeat. His 115 yards from scrimmage couldn’t propel his FCS Jackrabbits past the Gophers — South Dakota State fell 28-21.

But they could — and did — impress Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck, who made a point to flag down Johnson before he left the field.

“We played against a lot of players in the Big Ten,” Fleck told Johnson, “and I’ll tell you what, you’re just as good as anybody we played against.”

Good enough for the NFL, too.

In five short years, Johnson has blossomed from an undersized walk-on at the FCS level into a bona fide NFL prospect who will likely be drafted this weekend. The 5-foot-9-inch, 184-pound slot specialist has a knack for getting open and making plays. He was twice an All-American as a wide receiver and once as a kick returner.

He holds several school records and made defenders from FBS programs look silly during drills in January at the Senior Bowl.

Still, Johnson maintains a humble demeanor, indicating only that he’s eager for an opportunity and hopes to find a proper fit.

Said his father, Clester: “This is another step up, but I’ve got the utmost confidence in Cade that he’ll calculate and figure out a way to make it. It’s in his DNA.”

Football is also in Johnson’s DNA. His father played wide receiver for Nebraska, winning national championships in 1994 and 1995. Older brother C.J. set career prep receiving records in Nebraska and played wide receiver at Wyoming. Younger brother Keagan is a freshman wideout at Iowa.

But prototypical size wasn’t in Johnson’s genes as the self-proclaimed “runt” of the family in Papillion, Nebraska. So he stopped playing football during his eighth- and ninth-grade years and focused on basketball.

But his dad convinced him to play football again his sophomore season, and his life unknowingly changed when as a running back he caught an errant pass with one hand during practice. His high school coach, Michael Huffman, converted him to wide receiver the next day.

He scored 10 touchdowns in his first two junior varsity games and starred on varsity the rest of his prep career.

“He caught everything. And man, he would get drilled and get back up,” said Huffman, whose coached seven Division I receivers and called Johnson the one he’d trust most in a jump-ball situation. “He got in there and really flourished. Even as a senior he wasn’t that big. But his release off the line. … this dude has some wiggle and body control that most human beings don’t have.”

Johnson went on to become an All-State receiver at Bellevue West High School, one of the best programs in the state. Still, he wasn’t offered a scholarship by any FBS coaches, who cited his size as an issue. South Dakota State and South Dakota offered him scholarships, but he missed the window to commit and was forced instead to walk on with the Jackrabbits.

After a redshirt year in 2016, he emerged as South Dakota State’s primary kick returner in 2017, setting a school record for return yards.

He broke out as a receiver in 2018, making 67 receptions for 1,332 yards and 17 touchdowns and followed in 2019 with 72 catches for 1,222 yards and eight touchdowns.

Johnson considered transferring to an FBS program amid the coronavirus pandemic, but ultimately opted out of his senior season and moved to Orange County, California, to train in preparation for the NFL. He starred at the Senior Bowl, impressing scouts and analysts alike with his nifty footwork and sure hands.

Johnson returned this week to his home state of Nebraska, where his modest journey began, so he can watch the draft with his parents and siblings.

“I’m just a football player. I can make any team better,” he said. “I can do whatever for whatever team and just be a high caliber player.”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.