Tennessee football's highest drafted offensive lineman in NFL history
The 2025 NFL draft will be held, Thursday-Saturday, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Prior to the 90th NFL draft in league history, Vols Wire looks at historical Tennessee players selected. This installment looks back at former Tennessee center Bob Johnson.
Johnson is Tennessee's highest drafted offensive lineman in the NFL. He was selected in the first round of the 1968 AFL/NFL draft (No. 2 overall) by Cincinnati and was the first ever draft pick by the Bengals. Jonson is the second-highest drafted center in the history of American professional football. Only Ki Aldrich was drafted higher, and was selected No. 1 overall by the Chicago Cardinals in 1939.
Johnson played for Cincinnati from 1968-79. He was an AFL All-Star in 1968 and his number (53) is retired by the Bengals. Johnson was also named to Cincinnati's 50th Anniversary Team and was the last original Bengals' player to retire.
The former Vol played in 154 professional games, making 136 starts. He recorded six fumble recoveries.
Johnson played for Tennessee from 1965-67 under head coach Doug Dickey. He was the first player recruited by Dickey. Johnson was voted an unanimous All-American in 1967 and a a two-time All-SEC standout (1966-67). He won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is awarded to the SEC's best blocker, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
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