Several reports following the conclusion of the NFL Draft on Saturday night state that Los Angeles Chargers and wide receiver Jaylen Johnson of East Carolina have agreed to an undrafted free agent contract. According to reports, Johnson is one of three Pirates who have agreed to a post-draft agreement so far. Security Jeremy Lewis is supposedly signing with the New York Jets, while Julius Wood is joining the Dallas Cowboys.
As a walk-on at the University of Georgia, Johnson worked his way up to the Bulldogs’ scholarship program and ultimately won a national championship in his role as a special teams and backup receiver. After the 2021 season, he entered the portal, arrived to ECU, and played as a starting wide receiver for the Pirates for two years. Johnson caught 71 passes for 806 receiving yards and six touchdowns in that span. During his time at Georgia and ECU, he participated in 48 games and earned four letters (two at Georgia and two at ECU).
The 194-pound, 6-foot-2 athlete took part in East Carolina and Georgia Pro Days. Because of how well he tested at Georgia, he was limited to practicing route running and pass reception in front of scouts during the Pirates’ Pro Day practice. Johnson shown his ability to run precise routes and grab the ball downfield. That helped him rise in the rankings, as did his earlier 40-yard sprint time of 4.4 seconds. He played with the Pirates at outside receiver and in the slot.
Johnson was a starting outside receiver for ECU in 2022, a bowl year when the team’s offense was more potent. He played in ten games overall, starting six of them, hauling in 26 receptions for 340 yards and two scores.
Johnson started 11 of 12 games as a senior in 2023 and hauled in 45 passes for 466 yards, including two touchdown catches. Johnson recorded a career-high 105 receiving yards during a defeat over UTSA in October.
Johnson is a native of Duluth, Georgia, and played football at Peachtree Ridge High School.