The Las Vegas Raiders have signed former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Collin Johnson, the team announced Thursday. Terms of the deal were not announced.
Johnson, 27, was a 2020 fifth-round pick (No. 165 overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars before joining the New York Giants as a waiver claim one year later. He unfortunately missed the 2022 season with a torn Achilles, but eventually joined the Chicago Bears in 2023 and has spent the past two years in the Windy City.
In 38 career games, Johnson has 31 receptions for 394 yards and two touchdowns. He's also been credited with six tackles on special teams.
The San Jose, Calif., native appeared in 45 games with the Longhorns, of which he started 29. In that time, he caught 188 passes for 2,624 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was at his best in 2018, when he had 68 receptions for 985 yards and seven touchdowns, but injuries unfortunately derailed his final season in 2019.
“Beyond frustrating this year, for me,” Johnson said of his 2019 season, per The Athletic. “Just in my personal expectations and what I had planned for myself.”
Unfortunately, his decision to return to Texas in 2019 ended up costing him, as his draft stock fell substantially after the injury plagued year. However, he's still very grateful for his time at Texas as a whole.
“At the end of the day, I can tell myself I did everything in my power and gave it to the University of Texas,” he said. “I could put my head on the pillow at night knowing that I exhausted my eligibility, I was a team captain, I led this team to the best of my ability. And every time I was on the field, I gave everything I had. And that’s just something that’s huge for me as a person.”
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