Patrick Johnson (wide Receiver) - Prep

Prep

As a senior at Redlands High School in Redlands California, Johnson was All- Citrus Belt League, Honorable Mention All CIF, a member of the Tacoma News Tribune’s Western top 100 list, and team MVP in his only year of playing running back for the Terriers. On the track as a junior, Johnson managed to finish fourth place in the 200-meter final at the California State Track and Field Championships. During his senior campaign, Johnson had over 1000 all-purpose yards as the starting halfback for the Terriers, and was amongst the nation’s elite prep sprinters. Johnson led all national preps in both the 100 and 200 meters for most of the season. Johnson also notched impressive wins at the prestigious prep track and field meets, the Arcadia Invitational (100m), Golden West invitational (100, 200m) and the National Scholastic Outdoor Championships (200m). Later that summer, Johnson represented the United States in the 4×100 m relay at the 1994 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Lisbon, Portugal, garnering a silver medal in the games.

Even though Johnson had signed a letter of intent to play college football at the University of Oregon, he was faced with the tough decision of turning pro in track as a recently graduated high school senior. Doing so would have required him to forfeit all of his collegiate eligibility. Transferring to a football powerhouse, (Oregon was not at the time) or transferring to a collegiate sprinting powerhouse were other alternatives to consider for Johnson, but would have required forfeiting a year of eligibility if he chose that direction. The Ducks track and field brass was only lukewarm at best to the possibility of Johnson participating in track and field while at the University of Oregon, but that quickly changed halfway into his senior track campaign as his times drastically improved from the year before. Johnson nearly relinquished his letter of intent to Oregon, but Johnson elected to continue with his plans to go based on his parent’s plea for him to stay his course.