Kerryon Johnson joins a long list of Alabama 'Mr. Football' greats

Madison Academy’s Kerryon Johnson was named the 33rd recipient of the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Mr. Football Award during the ASWA’s annual Player of the Year Awards luncheon Wednesday of last week in Montgomery.

Johnson, a 6-1, 205-pound senior, led Madison Academy to its third-straight 3A state title by rushing for 1,659 yards and 25 touchdowns. Johnson, who has committed to Auburn, also caught 22 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. He was pretty stout on defense too, collecting 71 tackles, forcing five fumbles, intercepting six passes and returning three for touchdowns.  

Johnson joins a long list of former Alabama high school football greats who have received the Mr. Football Award over the years and only time will tell as to how his career will pan out. While all of the past winners went on to play college ball, by my count only six ever made it to the NFL, which just goes to show just how hard it is to make it to the pros.

Emma Sansom wide receiver Freddy Weygand, 1983’s Mr. Football, went on to play for the Chicago Bears after playing at Auburn. Jackson-Olin quarterback David Palmer, 1990’s Mr. Football, played for the Minnesota Vikings after a stellar college career at Alabama. Etowah running back Cadillac Williams, who won the Mr. Football Award in 2000, went on to play for the Tampa Bay Bucs and the St. Louis Rams after playing at Auburn.

Williamson quarterback JaMarcus Russell, 2002’s Mr. Football, played for the Oakland Raiders after playing for Nick Saban at LSU. Huffman offensive lineman Andre Smith, 2005’s Mr. Football, went on to play for the Cincinnati Bengals after starring at Alabama. Foley wide receiver Julio Jones, who won the Mr. Football Award in 2007, went on to play for the Atlanta Falcons after an outstanding college career at Alabama.

As you might have imagined, most of the Mr. Football winners end up at either Alabama or Auburn. To date, not counting Kerryon Johnson, who is still in high school, nine Mr. Footballs have gone to Alabama – Hazlewood running back Pierre Goode (1985), Parker running back Robert Jones (1987), Palmer (1990), Etowah quarterback Freddie Kitchens (1992), Jeff Davis tight end Gorman Thornton (1995), Central-Tuscaloosa running back Antoneyo Williams (1996), Smith (2005), Jones (2007) and Daphne running back T.J. Yeldon (2011).

Eight former Mr. Football winners have gone to Auburn – Weygand (1983), Vigor running back Darrell Williams (1988), Blount defensive lineman DeMarco McNeil (1998), Williams (2000), Hewitt-Trussville quarterback Brandon Cox (2001), Leroy quarterback Clint Moseley (2008), Carver quarterback Jeremy Johnson (2012) and Oxford running back Roc Thomas (2013).

Three past winners signed with UAB, which recently shut down its football program. Those players included West Jefferson running back Thomas Banks (1993), Alexandria running back Mac Campbell (1997) and Springville running back Cory Whisenant (1999).

Two past Mr. Football winners played at LSU – Homewood running back Robert Davis (1991) and Russell (2002). Two others went to Vanderbilt – Pike County quarterback Chris Nickson (2003) and Prattville quarterback Larry Smith (2006).

The eight other past winners ended up at various other schools. Vigor quarterback Tommy Compton (1982) went to North Alabama, and Gardendale wide receiver Roderick Green (1984) went to Southern Miss. Lee-Montgomery running back Larry Ware (1986) played at Georgia, and Pike County running back Steven Coleman went to Troy State (1989).

Shades Valley running back Dawud Rasheed (1994) played at Duke, and Hoover quarterback Jarod Bryant (2004) went on to the Naval Academy. Cherokee County quarterback Coty Blanchard (2009) signed with Jacksonville State, and, last but not least, Wetumpka quarterback Jamal Golden (2010) signed with Georgia Tech.