New England Patriots Defensive Tackle Eric Johnson Found Success In Wrestling During His High School!

January 16, 2026

This article was last updated by Sangita Budhathoki on January 16, 2026

While Eric Morris Johnson is still relatively new to the league, he quickly established himself and gained popularity among fans.

New England Patriots defensive tackle was born in Normal, Illinois, on July 16, 1998. However, he later moved to Plainfield, Illinois.

However, he has significantly started garnering attention after demonstrating his athleticism and contributions to his team.

Eric Johnson Inherited Athleticism From His Father, Eric Johnson Sr.!

Johnson was . He appears to be a single child, as online sources have not mentioned his siblings.

He grew up with his four siblings, Marcellus, Dillan, and Jaylen, and a sister, Erica.

Great day! Fortunate to get an offer from Illinois State University! Thank you coach Spack, Niekamp and Coach Banks!! @EFTfootball

— Dillan M Johnson (@DillanMJohnson1)

Moreover, Johnson attended Plainfield South High School, where he was a dual-sport athlete, excelling in football and wrestling.

Johnson’s success in high school shows how much he loved football at a young age.

He earned all-conference honors, recording 29 tackles for loss and 17 sacks in his senior season.

Furthermore, he had received all-conference recognition twice: once in his junior season and again in his senior season.

Similarly, Johnson has achieved significant success in wrestling, too. He was a two-time all-conference, all-state, all-district, and conference champion.

Beyond that, he was also a two-time Greco state placer, Greco regional champion, and second-place freestyle state-Fargo qualifier for the Illinois National Team.

Hence, all these athletic accomplishments showcase his undying passion and prowess.

However, Johnson inherited this terrific athleticism from his father, Eric Sr., who also has a background in football.

He played college football as a defensive lineman for the Illinois State Redbirds.

Good Luck on your first Home Game Go Colts!

— Kesha Richardson (@captchaos96)

Moreover, Johnson Sr.’s victorious legacy includes All-MVFC accolades, an invitation to the New York Jets training camp for a trial in 1997, and ten seasons of professional football in the CFL, XFL, and indoor football league.

Johnson Jr. idealized his father, Johnson Sr., propelling him to follow in his father’s footsteps.

While he had an affinity for football growing up, he also developed an interest in wrestling. However, whatever he touched turned into gold, as he also found success in wrestling.

Despite Experiencing A Slump During His College Career, Johnson Fulfilled His Dream Of Becoming An NFL Player!

After having a victorious high school career, it was apparent that Eric Johnson would excel during his college career.

While Johnson was a no-star recruit and received no offers from Division I FBS programs, FCS schools showed interest in him.

Eventually, he signed with Missouri State, where he played for the Missouri State Bears for six seasons.

However, he redshirted his first year at Missouri State in 2016. He only began playing for the university’s football team in 2017.

While Johnson had shown incredible performance in 2017 and 2018, he had a down year in 2019.

He made only 18 tackles, with zero tackles for loss or sacks. Moreover, he started just seven games, the lowest of his career.

However, with the hiring of a new coaching staff in 2026, he was able to rebuild his career.

Football is a family affair.

— Kesha Richardson (@captchaos96)

Johnson refurbished his confidence under the coaching guidance of defensive line coach L.D. Scott. He began to realize that the NFL was still a possibility for him.

Hence, Johnson had a comeback senior season in 2026 and had another good season in 2026, earning Second-Team All-MVFC accolades and breaking a school record for consecutive games played.

In his last season, he received the second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honor after making 43 tackles: 6.5 for loss and three blocked kicks.

Eventually, Eric Johnson embarked on his NFL journey after the Indianapolis Colts picked him in the 2026 NFL draft.

The whole crew was pumped for ’s first sack.

📺 | 11/12 on NFLN

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts)

On August 27, 2026, the Colts waived Johnson. However, the New England Patriots claimed him off waivers on August 28, 2026.

In Case You Didn’t Know

Eric Johnson acquired the nickname “The Creature” since another student at his high school went by the name “E.J.”
Johnson stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and 320 lbs.
His brother, Marcellus, plays for the New York Giants and received the 2026 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.

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As a content writer at Players Bio, Rimsha Khatri's primary goal is to write well-researched news articles about athletes and sports. She prioritizes leveraging her literary abilities and creative flair to deliver entertaining and highly informative content to readers and subscribers.

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