Former Gators OG Carl Johnson preparing for NFL Draft in Bradenton, predicts huge improvement for UF in ’11by Jason Lieser
Carl Johnson, one of Florida’s top pro prospects and most interesting mouths, is working out for the NFL Draft at IMG in Bradenton. He’s training every day, eating lobster for dinner and the scenery is pretty good, apparently.
“Not complaining,” he said today. “Sun is shining, looking at a beautiful lady. Everything’s good.”
He signed with Bus Cook Sports, the same agency that represents Brett Favre, Michael Turner and Jay Cutler.
One issue Johnson is working on his weight. He started last year at 6-6, 358. He has trimmed that to 345 and hopes to eventually get down to 330.
“Talking to my coaches at Florida, talking to my agent, the knock on me in the NFL is my weight,” Johnson said. “‘Can he be athletic and do all these things?’ I’m trying to prove I can.
“It’s not really hard. I meet with a nutritionist. I work out three times a day. Sometimes I do extra cardio. We eat five-star meals at IMG. We have lobster and crab and filets and gourmet pastas. It’s stuff you’d have to pay $30 a plate for. And it’s all healthy.”
Sounds like a pretty nice life.
The next step for Johnson is an all-star game called Texas vs. The Nation on Feb. 5 in San Antonio. He also was invited to the NFL scouting combine, which is next month in Indianapolis.
Johnson said he was “a little bit” upset that he was not invited to the Senior Bowl, but said any all-star game gives players a chance to affect their draft status.
“Some people get told they won’t get drafted, but they go there and impress everybody,” he said. “Some people think they’re going in the first round and go into these games and poop out a duck. Then they drop to the third round.”
Here are some of Johnson’s other thoughts:
Question: How does Florida’s future look after a disappointing 2010 season?
Carl Johnson: “I think the team’s going to be six times better this year than last year. Some good guys didn’t get to play. At the skill positions, you need experience. (QB John) Brantley has a year now. He knows the tempo. He knows what it’s like to face a team that’s trying to decapitate you. They’re going to be better. Now all these guys have experience, which helps a lot. I mean, when I first played, I was like a duck in a dirty pond — don’t know what’s underneath those feet.”
Q: Was the 2010 freshman class better than people thought? How much impact could those players make this season?
CJ: “From what I saw of the freshmen — (WR Quinton) Dunbar, to me, he’s dynamic. He should have played this year, but I’m not a coach. They have some certified ballers, Mack Brown, the running back, he’s going to be a beast. Trust me, they’re going to be good.”
Q: Which NFL team is your preferred destination?
CJ: “I’m from North Carolina, so I hope the Panthers get me. That’d be a dream. But I left North Carolina to explore another world at Florida, so I’m open to everything.”
Q: You received degrees in sociology and criminology last month. What will you do with them?
CJ: “I have an opportunity waiting to work for the FBI if football doesn’t work. But I want to try football first. The FBI needs people in the fraud department. I want to do fraud and money laundering. I don’t want to put my life on the line. I want to live for a while.”
Q: What did you think of Urban Meyer’s resignation last month?
CJ: “I wish the best for him. It’s obvious. If you ever watch him, you can tell when we’re losing that it affects him. He has to take his family and his kids more importantly. I love football, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let it kill me, so I feel him on that. I told him last year, ‘If it’s really that bad, don’t come back. Your family’s more important than us 75 guys.’”
Q: Will he coach again?
CJ: “I think he’ll probably sit out two or three years, then be back in it.”
Q: You saw Meyer and Nick Saban on ESPN last week. Who was better?
CJ: “Urban. I’m a loyal solider.”
Q: Are you taking your comedy act to the NFL?
CJ: “Of course. You’ve got to have some fun. You can’t always be a dullard. I’m going to take the comedy act wherever I go. I was born in a family where we laugh. Laughter’s good for the soul.”