Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Mike Edwards Selected in Friday’s NFL Draft

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – University of Kentucky cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round of the National Football League Draft on Friday night in Nashville, Tenn. and safety Mike Edwards followed as a third-round choice by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
 
Johnson, a junior-college transfer who is a native of Gary, Indiana, had an outstanding two-year stint with the Wildcats, starting his final 18 games with 64 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, 12 pass breakups, two blocked kicks, one interception and one forced fumble. As a senior, Johnson started all 13 games for the Wildcats with 23 tackles, four pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble.
 
The 6-foot-1 cornerback culminated his career with a strong performance in Kentucky’s Citrus Bowl win over Penn State. On top of a key interception in the third quarter, Johnson recorded four tackles and a pass breakup in helping secure UK’s first postseason victory since 2009 and first 10-victory season in 41 years.
 
The strong season led him to accept an invitation to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he impressed the scouts during bowl week workouts and made four tackles in the game. His draft stock continued to rise after charting noteworthy measurable at the NFL Combine.
 
Prior to his time at Kentucky, Johnson spent two seasons (2014 and ’15) at Garden City Community College where he was second-team All-Kansas Community College Conference recording 35 tackles, five interceptions and one fumble record. Johnson, who did not play in 2016 to focus on academics, was a four-star prospect by 247Sports as the No. 2 safety and No. 43 overall player in the junior college ranks. The cornerback was one of many Wildcats to graduate in December as he earned a degree in community and leadership development.
 
Johnson was taken with the 22^nd pick, the 54^th overall of the 2019 Draft.  He is the first Kentucky player drafted by Houston since the franchise was founded in 2002.  Two Wildcats have played for the Texans, including safety Marlon McCree (2003-04) and quarterback Shane Boyd (2007). Johnson is the first UK cornerback taken in the draft since Trevard Lindley in 2010.
 
Edwards was a four-year stalwart for the Wildcats, playing in all 51 games, starting the last 44.  His career totals featured:

• 10 interceptions, fourth in school history
• Two interception returns for touchdowns
• 318 tackles, second in school history among defensive backs
• 20.5 tackles for loss
• 23 pass breakups

Edwards earned All-Southeastern Conference honors his last three seasons – second-team All-SEC by Associated Press and Phil Steele as a senior; first-team All-SEC by Phil Steele as a junior; and second-team All-SEC by AP as a sophomore.
 
Edwards helped lead the Wildcats to 29 wins during his four seasons, the second-most for any UK senior class since freshmen became eligible in the early 1970s.  UK played in three straight bowl games, 2016 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, 2017 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl and the VRBO Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 2019.  It was only the third time in school history that UK played in three consecutive postseason games. In his senior season, UK’s 10-3 record and Citrus Bowl championship was UK’s best season in 41 years, since the 1977 squad went 10-1.
 
Edwards, a native of Cincinnati, completed his academic career with a degree in family sciences.
 
Edwards was the 35^th pick of the third round, 99^th overall.  He is the first Wildcat taken by the Buccaneers since James Whalen in the 2000 draft. Wildcats who have played for Tampa Bay include defensive end Don Fielder (1985), linebacker Cam Jacobs (1987), defensive end James Ramey (1987), kicker Ken Willis (1992), linebacker Jeff Brady (1994), safety Melvin Johnson (1995-97) and safety Reggie Rusk (1996-97). Edwards is the first UK safety taken since Winston Guy in 2012.
 
The draft concludes Saturday, April 27 with rounds 4–7 at Noon ET on ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes.
Kentucky/NFL Draft Notes:

• Coach Mark Stoops’ steady building of a program with the mantra “recruit and develop” continues to bear fruit.  UK’s best season on the field in 41 years (10-3 record) is being surpassed on the NFL Draft board. The last time UK had three players selected in the first three rounds was the 1966 NFL and American Football League drafts, when Sam Ball, Rick Norton and Rodger Bird all received first-round selections.
• Josh Allen was the 17^th player in UK history selected in the first round on Thursday.
• Allen is UK’s highest draft pick since Dewayne Robertson was selected as the fourth pick by the Jets in 2003.
• Allen is the 11th player in UK history chosen in the top 10 and the first since Dewayne Robertson was selected as the fourth pick by the Jets in 2003.
• Allen is the sixth player drafted under head coach Mark Stoops at Kentucky and the second first-round pick, joining Bud Dupree (Pittsburgh Steelers) in 2015.
• Since 2001, Coach Stoops has now recruited and developed 12 first-round draft picks.
• Kentucky has had a linebacker drafted in five of the last eight NFL drafts (2019 – Josh Allen, 2016 – Josh Forrest, 2015 – Bud Dupree, 2015 – Za’Darius Smith, 2014 – Avery Williamson).
• There have been two other Wildcats who have played for the Jaguars’ franchise in Marlon McCree (2001-03) and Winston Guy (2013-14).