Dane Johnson Jr.

Dane Johnson Jr.

Dane Johnson Jr.
No. 73 – San Jose SaberCats
Position:	Offensive Lineman
Personal information
Born:	(2024-03-21)March 21, 2024 (aged 38) Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:	325 lb (147 kg)
Username:	Rocketman13
Career information
High school:	Pike-Delta-York High School
College:	University of Toledo
ISFL Draft:	2049  / Round: 3 / Pick: 30
DSFL Draft:	2048  / Round: 2 / Pick: 10
Career history
London Royals (2048 (S33)-2049 (S34)) San Jose Sabercats (2050 (S35)-present)
Roster status:	Active
Career DSFL statistics
Sacks allowed: 1 Pancakes: 53"

Dane Johnson Jr. (born March 21, 2024) is an American football offensive lineman for the London Royals of the Developmental Simulation Football League (DSFL).

Early years

"Dane Johnson Jr. is a professional football player born in Toledo, Ohio to parents Dane and Ashley Johnson on March 21st, 2024. Dane Jr. played several sports growing up, including football, baseball, and hockey, He attended Pike-Delta-York High School in Delta, Ohio. On the football team he was voted All-District twice and All-State his senior year. He was also voted NWOAL Offensive Player of the Year in 2043 after leading the Panthers to a league championship. He was also named to the NWOAL All-Academic Team in both 2042 and 2043. Johnson also played for the varsity basketball team in 2040 and 2041, where he averaged nearly 6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. Johnson was lightly recuited at the FBS level and initially committed to the University of Dayton on a partial scholarship. Soon after, he recieved an offer from Toledo head coach Matt Candle and signed a letter of committment to the University of Toledo Rockets.

"

College career

As a freshman Dane saw little playing time, but did appear in two games against VMI and Kent State. He took over the starting role at Right Tackle during the 2045 season, playing in all 12 games. As an upperclassman Johnson Jr. shined, and was voted all-MAC in both 2046 and 2047. Johnson was also voted a captain of the team for the 2047 season.

Johnson was also a leader for the Rockets off of the field, appearing at several community and charity events and helping to organize the Rockets' Charity Turkey Bowl, which is an outreach event for children affected by gun violence. In an interview with WTOL Channel 11 News, Johnson remarked ""It's a great time for all of us. We get to teach these kids something about the game and they love being on the field at the Glass Bowl. These kids have lost siblings, parents, and friends to gun violence both in our community and in the Detroit area, so I hope spending a little time like this is able to give them something back.

College career statistics

Career statistics			Offensive Line
Season	Team	Games	Pancakes	Sacks Allowed
2044	Toledo	2	4	0
2045	Toledo	12	44	3
2046	Toledo	14	62	1
2047	Toledo	13	55	0

Professional career

Johnson was drafted 10th overall in the first round by the London Royals. When asked by Sun Times reporter Johnson A. Stevenson how he was planning on adjusting to life in the United Kingdom he replied "Looks like finding an apartment I can afford is going to be the biggest struggle. The Royals offensive staff has been awesome, and I'm already learning the playbook while I try and book a flight over." The Royals struggled during Johnson's transition to professional football, taking losses in every preseason game as well as their first five regular-season matchups. London closed the season with wins in six of their final nine games and were not mathematically eliminated until week 13. Johnson's play likewise improved as the season wore on, gaining praise from teammates and even opposing coaches. One Bondi Beach defensive coach remarked "Number 73 [Johnson] is a load on that right side man. If our guys can't get up on the snap and stop his momentum he's rolling right over the D End. No wonder they keep running the ball that way."

In the 2049 DSFL season Johnson started all 14 games at right tackle, giving up just one sack while recording 67 pancake blocks, good for 3rd in the league. Johnson's play and new role as an offensive leader earned him a trip to the DSFL awards show as the eventual winner for Offensive Lineman of the Year. London's season was marked by close games on both sides of the ledger, with 8 games decided by one score. Despite improved play on both sides of the ball London remained at 6-8, again narrowly missing the playoffs. When asked about the impact missing the playoffs had in the locker room by reporters Johnson stated "That's always the goal in pro football. We're here to win a championship. So anytime you fail to do that it's going to be a disappointment. But I would just say that our young guys improved tremendously over the course of the season and we're gonna work even harder in the offseason to get there next year."

The San Jose SaberCats drafted Johnson in the 3rd round of the 2049 ISFL draft, and called him to the ISFL level for the 2050 season. Johnson played Center for the SaberCats in his rookie year, totaling 56 pancakes vs 2 sacks surrendered. One aspect of the higher league gave him some issues as he was flagged for six penalties on the season, more than his entire DSFL career. When asked, Johnson told The Mercury News "I think they're just calling things a little tighter than I'm used to. The competition here is so intense that you have to keep that position any way that you can, and sometimes the officials will interpret that as a penalty." San Jose narrowly missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record. When asked to comment, Johnson said "I think it's important to stay positive. We had some really good team wins this year and things just didn't bounce our way. We're also still getting better each week and I'm hoping next year we'll be ready to take that next step forward and not just make the playoffs but make a dent once we get there. This franchise has three Ultimus titles for a reason. We've got some tough competition in the ASFC so we have to be prepared every week to go out there and battle."

2051 was an improved year for the SaberCats as they posted a 10-6 record in the ASFC and made the playoffs. Johnson's play was steady as he accounted for 52 pancakes and gave up just two sacks in 16 games. Unfortunately the home field advantage was not enough to get San Jose to the ASFC Championship game, as the Outlaws controlled the entire second half and San Jose's offense ground to a halt. On the SaberCats' zero second-half points, Johnson told the Mercury News "That's really on us. They made some halftime adjustments and we failed to do the same. Our defense played well enough for us to win that game, we've just got to get some drives to pay off, especially in a home playoff game." Johnson played well enough in the final year of his rookie contract to receive an extension in San Jose worth $2.25 million per year, as well as a $5M million signing bonus. On re-signing with the SaberCats Johnson remarked to reporters "There were some other offers out there, but I want to win a championship here in San Jose. I've been really impressed with the front office here, they seem to try and do everything they can to make the team better."

Johnson's third season with the SaberCats was marked by personal improvement in play while suffering through a disappointing season for the team. With high expectations coming off a playoff year, the SaberCats' propensity for losing close games reared its ugly head. Despite holding a positive point differential on the season, San Jose limped to a 6-10 regular-season record, with seven losses of ten points or fewer. Johnson told reporters: "All these teams are fighting for the same thing, and we need to be able to make plays down the stretch if we want to win. There's such a small gap in talent and the coaches are all so dialed in at this level you have to win those tiny victories every play. I still think we're right there with the best teams in the league, but they say you are what your record says you are, and we aren't a winning team." Despite the struggles Johnson but up record numbers with 75 pancakes and 3 sacks surrendered.

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	40‑yd dash	20‑ss	3‑cone	Vert jump	Broad	BP	Wonderlic
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	325 lb (147 kg)	5.16 s		8.02 s	27.5 in (0.70 m)	9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)	28 reps	36
2049 ISFL scouting combine (S34)

Professional career statistics

Career statistics			Offensive Line
	Team	Games	Pancakes	Sacks Allowed
2048 (S33)	LON	14	53	1
2049 (S34)	LON	14	67	1
2050 (S35)	SJS	16	56	2
2051 (S36)	SJS	16	52	2
2052 (S37)	SJS	16	75	3
2053 (S38)	SJS	16	107	3

Achievements and records

Individual

• DSFL Offensive Lineman of the Year: 2049

""