Senior Spotlight: Tyler Johnson’s one year of Nat. Central football gets him 11 college offers

NATCHITOCHES, La. (KALB) - Tyler Johnson is a six-foot-seven giant that plays left tackle for Natchitoches Central.

Tyler started off as a basketball player at the school, and one day he had a change of heart when Head Coach James Wilkerson convinced him to give football a try.

“I saw Tyler in the parking lot and asked ‘can you give football a try?’” said Wilkerson. “He said ‘Coach, I never played, I do not know how to’ and I told him ‘do not worry about it, that is my job.’”

There was one thing that Coach Wilkerson did not have to teach him and that is how to be aggressive because that was his mindset in every game.

“I got to hurt somebody,” said Johnson. “Every time I get on the field, I say to myself ‘I must be the physical.’”

Although football is a physical game, there is a mental aspect to it, and Tyler has it picked up pretty fast with his understanding of the game.

“I did not know the difference between an even and an odd front,” said Johnson. “Once I started picking up on that, I feel like things started to get a little better.”

It did not take long for Johnson to get recognition from college coaches. He describes his one year on the field as a viral moment.

“Last year, I just wanted to have fun,” said Johnson. “I was not really expecting it to happen so fast, but it feels like I was an overnight sensation.”

Tyler has been on a lot of college coach’s boards as a top athlete, getting offers from the University of Baylor, Missouri, Memphis, Tulane, and a few other schools. He said when goes to the camps he has to bring his A-game because he is going against the top talents across the country.

“It is real competition,” said Johnson. “Getting to go against athletes in different states is tough because everyone there is ranked as the team’s best player. "

Coming up in his senior year, he wants to leave a legacy behind so impactful that whoever wears the number 77 after him will have to live up to his greatness.

“I want to be the best version of myself,” said Johnson. “Whoever wears number 77 next, I hope that they can continue to be as dominate as I was.”

Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email.

Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.