2023 SEASON: Played in 12 games with four starts and recorded 23 tackles (17 solo), three passes defensed and an interception…Also posted a tackle on special teams…Was inactive (healthy scratch) for the other five games…Appeared in both playoff contests, recording a solo tackle on defense and a tackle on special teams…At Denver (Oct. 22): Made his NFL debut, playing four snaps on defense and 11 on special teams…Vs. L.A. Rams (Nov. 5): Made his first career start in place of injured S Rudy Ford (calf), playing every snap (58) on defense and recording a solo tackle, two passes defensed and an interception. Snagged his first career INT when he caught a QB Brett Rypien pass intended for WR Cooper Kupp that was tipped by CB Jaire Alexander. Became the first Packer to register an INT in his first career start since Hayward on Oct. 21, 2012, at the St. Louis Rams…Vs. L.A. Chargers (Nov. 19): Started and played all 65 snaps on defense, recording four tackles (three solo)…At Detroit (Nov. 23): Started and played all 84 snaps on defense and recorded a career-high eight tackles (seven solo) and a pass defensed. On second-and-12, broke up a pass intended for RB Jahmyr Gibbs, forcing third-and-long in the fourth quarter…At Carolina (Dec. 24): Started and played all 66 snaps on defense, recording eight tackles (six solo), which tied the team high and his career high…At Minnesota (Dec. 31): Played two snaps on defense and eight on special teams, recording one tackle on special teams when he helped pin Minnesota at its own 17 on kickoff coverage in the third quarter…At San Francisco (NFC Divisional, Jan. 20): Logged nine snaps on defense, recording a solo tackle. Also saw action on five special teams snaps, making a tackle on kickoff coverage.
COLLEGE: In five seasons, posted 243 tackles (164 solo), 14 tackles for a loss, three sacks, 28 passes defensed, two INTs and five forced fumbles…Played in 62 games, the second most in school history (Jake Hummel, 63, 2017-21), and set Iowa State and Big 12 records with 54 career starts…Finished his collegiate career starting the final 53 games…Spent his first four seasons at cornerback before switching to safety for his final season…Graduated with a degree in communication studies…2022: Started all 12 games, finishing No. 4 on the team and tying his career high with 60 tackles (41 solo), two INTs, four passes defensed, a QB hurry and a forced fumble…Earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from Phil Steele's College Football, second-team All-Big 12 honors from the coaches and All-Big 12 honorable mention from the Pro Football Network...Served as a team captain…Part of a defense that led the Big 12 in first downs allowed (188), passing defense (178.2 ypg), rushing defense (107.3 ypg), scoring defense (20.2 ppg) and total defense (285.6 ypg)…Earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors for the second straight year and was on the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll…Was nominated for the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team…Earned a spot on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, presented to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field…Totaled two tackles (both assists) and picked off his first career pass vs. Ohio (Sept. 17), intercepting QB Kurtis Rourke on the first play of the second quarter to give the Cyclones the ball at their own 49…Matched his career high with a team-best nine tackles (four solo) vs. Kansas State (Oct. 8) and chased down WR Malik Knowles on a 68-yard play to force a fumble at the goal line that was recovered by the Cyclones for a touchback in the second quarter…2021: Started all 13 games and was No. 5 on the team with 55 tackles (32 solo), three tackles for a loss, four passes defensed and two forced fumbles…Earned All-Big 12 honorable mention from the coaches for the third straight year…Was named first-team Academic All-Big 12 and to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll…Ranked No. 2 on the team with a season-best seven tackles (six solo) and a forced fumble at Baylor (Sept. 25)…Matched his season high with seven tackles (three solo) and forced a fumble at West Virginia (Oct. 30)…Recorded four tackles (two solo), a tackle for a loss and a sack at Oklahoma (Nov. 20), bringing down QB Caleb Williams at the Iowa State 32 for a loss of a yard on a drive that ended in a missed field goal by K Gabe Brkic…2020: Started all 12 games, recording 40 tackles (22 solo), two tackles for a loss and five passes defensed…Earned All-Big 12 honorable mention from the coaches and second-team Academic All-Big 12 recognition…Registered multiple tackles in all 12 contests…Posted three stops (all solo), a tackle for a loss and a pass defensed at Oklahoma State (Oct. 24) when he broke up a pass to WR Tylan Wallace on third-and-11, forcing a 37-yard field goal that was missed by K Alex Hale…Recorded season highs in tackles (six, No. 2 on the team) and solo tackles (four, tied for No. 2 on the team) along with a pass defensed vs. Baylor (Nov. 7)…Finished with five tackles (one solo) and posted a pass defensed on a third-and-6 early in the fourth quarter to force a punt vs. Oklahoma (Big 12 Championship, Dec. 19)…2019: Started all 13 games, posting career highs in tackles (60), solo tackles (47), tackles for a loss (seven), sacks (two), forced fumbles (two) and passes defensed (10)…Was tied for the team lead and tied for No. 6 in the Big 12 in passes defensed…Also tied for the team lead in forced fumbles (No. 8 in the Big 12)…Earned All-Big 12 honorable mention from the coaches and earned second-team Academic All-Big 12 honors…Posted a pass defensed in seven games…Finished with multiple tackles in 12 games, including five-plus stops in six contests…Finished No. 3 on the team with eight tackles (five solo, No. 2 on ISU), his first career sack and a season-best two tackles for a loss that led the team vs. Iowa (Sept. 14)…In the second quarter, took down QB Nate Stanley for a loss of 7 yards on a third-and-1 to force a punt…Registered five tackles (four solo, tied for No. 2 on the team), a tackle for a loss, a pass defensed and his first career forced fumble at Baylor (Sept. 28)…Registered six tackles (all solo, No. 2 on the team), a tackle for a loss and a career-high three passes defensed to lead the team vs. Kansas (Nov. 23)…2018: Saw action in 12 games as a true freshman with four starts, recording 28 tackles (22 solo), a tackle for a loss and five passes defensed (tied for No. 2 on the team)…Ranked No. 2 among Cyclone freshmen in tackles on the season (LB Mike Rose, 75) and registered three-plus tackles in each of the final six contests…Recorded three tackles (all solo) and a season-best two passes defensed (tied for the team lead) at Kansas (Nov. 3)…Finished with a season-high eight tackles (team-best seven solo), tied for the second most on the team, and a pass defensed vs. Baylor (Nov. 10).
PERSONAL: Given name Anthony Christopher Johnson Jr. …Born in St. Petersburg, Fla. …High school: Was a two-time all-state selection and a three-year starter at St. Petersburg (Fla.) High School…Was named to the All-Tampa team by the Tampa Times in 2017…Recorded 36 tackles, four INTs and two forced fumbles in 2017 despite missing half the season because of injury…Posted 46 tackles, seven INTs and 16 passes defensed as a junior…Registered 31 tackles, 10 passes defensed and a team-high six INTs as a sophomore…Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN…Also lettered three years in track…Community involvement: Volunteered at a juvenile detention center in Ames, Iowa.
