#57
Erik Johnson
Senior
Linebacker
Fairport, N.Y./Fairport HS

High School: Football, basketball, and baseball standout at Fairport High School...selected as Section and Monroe County Player of the Year at quarterback in football for coach Mike lerland as a senior in 2003...two-year starter at linebacker and quarterback in football...two-time all-county selection...led team to section finals as both a junior and senior...two-year starter in basketball for head coach Scott Fitch...second team all-county as a senior...team lost in sectional finals both seasons...Section Player of the Year in baseball in 2003 as a pitcher and outfielder for head coach Pete Grainger...two-time all-county selection...was 5-0 with a 3.80 earned run average and batted .375 as a senior...captained football and baseball teams.

At Delaware: Co-captain with Kheon Hendricks, Matt Marcorelle, and Kervin Michaud...ormer walk-on who has become one of the top linebackers not only in the Colonial Athletic Association but in the entire nation...All-American and ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American candidate...middle linebacker who anchors a defense that should be among the best in the CAA this fall...fifth-year senior an three-year letterwinner who will start for the third straight year...rugged performer who has a good nose for the ball and shows outstanding anticipation...earned honorable mention pre-season All-American honors by Consensus Draft Services...named pre-season first team All-CAA by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview and by a vote of the CAA head coaches...enters the season as the active NCAA FCS leader with 156 solo tackles and ranks No. 3 in total tackles with 260...one of only five returning players in the CAA who recorded 100 or more tackles the previous season...260 career tackles ranks No. 19 all-time in UD history...needs 40 tackles to become just the 15th player in UD history to reach 300...active Delaware leader with 25.5 career tackles for loss...has posted nine or more tackles in a game 11 times in his 37 career games played (20 starts)...six career interceptions ranks among the all-time UD leaders for linebackers...will also see action on special teams and will continue to serve as deep blocker on punts...back at full strength after missing all of spring drills with a shoulder injury suffered during the 2007 playoff run.

2007 Season: Earned third career letter with an outstanding season...solid all year but made a name for himself nationally with exceptional play in the Hens’ playoff run to the FCS national title game...led team to 11-4 record under head coach K.C. Keeler...selected as the Blue Hen Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Week a team-high five times during the campaign (vs. Navy, Richmond, Delaware State, Northern Iowa, and Appalachian State)...started all 15 games at middle linebacker and led team in tackles with 122, including 69 solo stops...ranked second on team with 11 tackles for loss (54 yards), had two quarterback sacks, one pass breakup, three interceptions, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown...122 tackles were the 11th highest single season mark in UD history....8.1 tackles per game ranked No. 16 among CAA defensive players...was virtually unstoppable in the post-season when he recorded 37 tackles, six tackles for loss (30 yards), one interception, and one fumble recovery in four games...posted 10 or more tackles four times with career-high 20 in win over FBS Navy...20 tackles was the fifth highest single game total in school history and most by a UD player since 1995...also had 11 stops vs. James Madison and Northern Iowa, 10 tackles vs. Appalachian State, and nine vs. Southern Illinois and William & Mary...had four tackles for loss (most by a UD player since 2001) in FCS quarterfinal win over Northern Iowa when he also recovered a fumble and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown to spark the comeback...intercepted passes in playoff wins over Delaware State and Southern Illinois and also picked one off vs. Rhode Island...had four tackles, one for loss, a pass breakup, and a sack in spring game.

2006 Season: Played in all 11 games with 10 starts at middle linebacker and was the squad’s No. 2 leading tackler behind senior KeiAndre Hepburn...registered 78 stops, including 47 solo hits...led team with 9.5 tackles for loss (33 yards) and with three quarterback sacks (23 yards)...also had two interceptions, broke up one pass, and forced a fumble...one of team’s most consistent performers...twice earned Blue Hen Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Week honors (vs. Hofstra and William & Mary)...had five or more tackles in all but one game and had nine or more four times...posted season-high 15 tackles vs. William & Mary and added 12 vs. Hofstra, and nine each vs. Villanova and Richmond...averaged 9.3 tackles per game over the final six contests...had sacks vs. West Chester, Hofstra (1.5), and Villanova and two tackles for loss each vs. West Chester, Hofstra, William & Mary (2.5), and Villanova...returned interceptions vs. Northeastern and William & Mary (11 yards)...forced a fumble vs. West Chester...team went 5-6...posted four tackles in the Blue-White spring game.

2005 Season: One of the team’s most pleasant surprises...walk-on who worked his way into a key backup role at linebacker and as a standout special teams player...appeared in all 11 games...led all Delaware backups and ranked fifth on the squad with 60 tackles, including 39 solo stops...had five tackles for losses of 12 yards while also adding an interception, pass breakup, fumble recovery, and forced fumble...collected five or more tackles eight times during the season with a career-high nine vs. West Chester...also had eight tackles, including two for loss, vs. Richmond, seven stops vs. Towson and Massachusetts, and five stops four other times...recorded three tackles, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble in collegiate debut vs. Lehigh...returned an interception 14 yards vs. Hofstra...team went 6-5...collected four tackles in spring game.

2004 Season: Did not see game action and retained freshman eligibility...team went 9-4, captured the Atlantic 10 Conference title, and advanced to the NCAA I-AA quarterfinals.

Personal: Erik David Johnson...born March 12, 1986...son of Bob and Judy Johnson...younger brother of 2003 Delaware consensus All-American defensive end Shawn Johnson and former Fordham tight end Travis Johnson...Shawn was drafted by Oakland and also tried out with the Tennessee Titans...honor student as a health & physical education major...ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American nominee...three-time member of conference Academic Honor Roll team...enjoys playing video games and cards in his spare time....has worked as a landscaper and pizza deliveryman during the summers.