New York Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson II has revealed the meaning behind his suit on draft day.
Arguably one of the biggest âstealsâ in the first day of the 2022 NFL Draft was that of Jermaine Johnson II to the New York Jets with the 26th pick in the first round.
Having racked up 106 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks in his NCAA career, and with a stature of 6â4, 254lbs, thereâs little doubt that he will be able to translate that onto the professional stage.
And whilst he was the 5th defensive lineman taken in the draft, if he can go on to produce the way he did in college, then there will be a lot of teams that might live to regret not picking him up when they had the chance.
However itâs his off-field image as much as his on-field performance that got a lot of people talking in and around draft time.
Putting on a fashion show
As with most things these days, just because an event is centred around one specific thing, that doesnât stop the whole affair from being dragged out a little bit and being made a spectacle.
And the NFL Draft is no exception, as it gives players a chance to express themselves when it comes to what they want to wear on their big night, and this yearâs event was certainly no exception as there were some pretty interesting outfits on show in Las Vegas:
However, the suit that arguably stole the show was that of Johnson, who turned up in a rather striking gold outfit with a black trim and pattern:
The symbolism behind the stitches
However, it was as much what was underneath his jacket than what was showing that meant so much to Johnson.
Speaking on the Adam Schefter Podcast, Johnson revealed that inside his jacket contained four logos, and that they were the logos of the four teams that had helped get him to the NFL. His high school Eden Prairie, and then the three colleges he played for, Independence, Georgia and Florida State:
It certainly is a heartwarming story, and as he said, he didnât get to the NFL alone, so itâs nice that he pay respect to those that helped to get him there. And who knows, if he ends up in Canton one day, maybe heâll bring the suit back out and stitch the New York Jets logo in there as well.