A&T's long, lean Darryl Johnson grows into role as pass rusher

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — First things first: The roster in the game program is misleading.

It lists N.C. A&T sophomore defensive end Darryl Johnson at 6-foot-5 and 226 pounds, and he probably was when he was measured.

But young men tend to grow, some into their early 20s. And Johnson, 20, is probably closer to 6-6 and 235 pounds as A&T (11-0) gets ready to play Grambling (11-1) in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta at noon today.

“I’ve gotten a lot stronger. A little faster,” Johnson said. “The biggest thing is knowledge, though, because when I first got here the process of learning the defense was hard. Getting reps in spring practice helped a lot. The more reps I get, the more I learn. It helps me play a lot faster.”

Johnson is a handful. Long and lean with a 103-inch wingspan — at least the last time he was measured — he’s built more like a basketball power forward than a defensive end.

His speed sets him apart from most defensive lineman. He’s run the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds, and he’s too quick for a lot of offensive tackles to block cleanly.

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