MicahJohnson

• All-SEC (first team) by SEC coaches (2008)
• All-SEC (second team) by Phil Steele’s College Football, Rivals.com (2008)
• All-SEC (honorable mention) by The Associated Press (2008)
• SEC All-Freshman Team by SEC coaches (2006)

Went through the National Football League evaluation process but chose to return to Kentucky for his senior season … Developed into an All-Southeastern Conference linebacker during the 2008 season … Has made notable progress each season of his career … Team’s starting middle linebacker … Displays noteworthy lateral speed in getting to the ball … His experience as a high school offensive star has helped him play effectively in pass defense … Has appeared in 36 career games, earning 14 starting assignments … Has 180 tackles in his career, including 17 for loss … Brother of current Wildcat Christian Johnson, they will go through their senior seasons together.

2008 (Junior): Received multiple All-SEC honors, including first-team laurels from the league coaches … Was the team’s second-leading tackler with 93 stops, the best season of his career … Would have had well over 100 tackles had he not missed two and one-half games because of injury … Ranked third in the SEC in tackles per game with 8.7 per contest … Led the team while ranking sixth in the conference with 13 tackles for loss … Had four double-figure tackling efforts, including a career-high 15 stops against Arkansas … Led the team in tackles in eight of the 11 games he played.

2007 (Sophomore): Played in 12 games, totaling 58 tackles … Effective in pass defense with two interceptions and five pass breakups … Shared the middle linebacker post with Braxton Kelley … Had a career-high nine tackles in the win over Florida Atlantic, plus a 21-yard interception return for a touchdown … Led the team with seven tackles vs. Eastern Kentucky … Also tipped two balls vs. the Colonels, one of which led to an Ashton Cobb interception … Underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 22 and showed his toughness by missing only one game, making six stops in his return against Vanderbilt … Made four tackles, plus an interception and a pass breakup, in the Music City Bowl.

2006 (Freshman): Selected to the SEC All-Freshman Team by league coaches … Made a surprise entry at running back in the Music City Bowl, crashing in from the one-yard line for Kentucky’s first touchdown of the win over Clemson … Played in all 13 games, including two starting assignments …. Made 29 tackles … Notched a season-high seven stops, plus a pass breakup, at Louisville … Forced a fumble vs. Central Michigan and recovered one at Tennessee … As an upback on the kickoff return team, fielded a squib kick and ran it for 17 yards vs. Florida.

High School: One of the nation’s top prospects, with a tremendous combination of size, speed, and strength … An All-America choice by Parade magazine, Rivals.com, Scout.com, EA Sports, PrepStar and SuperPrep … Rated the nation’s top inside linebacker by ESPN … One of four finalists for the Walter Payton Trophy as the nation’s fastest, strongest, and most dedicated player … Named “Mr. Football” in Kentucky, he also won the Paul Hornung Award and the Roy Kidd Award as state player of the year … The No. 2 prospect in the Midwest and the No. 9 player in America by Scout.com … The No. 1 player in Kentucky, the nation’s No. 2 prospect as a potential strongside defensive end, the No. 36 overall prospect in the United States by Rivals.com … The top prospect in Kentucky, No. 4 nationally as a defensive lineman, the No. 16 overall prospect in America, and the “Dixie Defensive Player of the Year” by SuperPrep … Ranked No. 27 overall nationally by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming … Moved to Kentucky in time for his junior season and played two years at Ft. Campbell (Ky.) HS … Earned first-team all-state honors both seasons by The Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal … Picked for the “Class of the Commonwealth” top-22 seniors in Kentucky by the Lexington Herald-Leader and was on the “Kentucky Tremendous 26” list by the state coaches association … Led Ft. Campbell to a two-year record of 22-3, reaching the state quarterfinals his senior year and the second round of the playoffs his junior season … Played linebacker and running back for the Falcons, with a two-year total of 2,543 rushing yards, 46 touchdowns, and 293 tackles … Coached by Shawn Berner … Played at West Potomac HS in Alexandria, Va., prior to Ft. Campbell … Following his senior season, played for the winning East team in the U.S. Army All-American Game … Participated in the Kentucky-Tennessee High School All-Star Game … Recruiting finalists included Georgia, Notre Dame, and Kentucky.

Personal: Coming from a military family, Micah was born in Columbus, Ga., and also has lived in Oklahoma, California, Washington (state), Ft. Knox, Ky., Hawaii, the District of Columbia, Virginia, and now Ft. Campbell … Son of Nathaniel and Vicki Johnson … Nathaniel played football at Bishop College … His brother, Christian, is an offensive lineman at UK … Major is family science.

Community Cats: Volunteer at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life (2007) … Guest visitor at the Dance Blue Marathon (2008).