Texas A&M’s Antonio Johnson and Jaylon Jones were taken on the final day of the 2023 NFL Draft. Johnson was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 160th overall pick in the fifth round and Jones was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the 221 overall pick in the seventh round.
“Antonio is a competitor, tough and smart. He was a great player for us here at Texas A&M" Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "Not many safeties can play the second level, down in the box and physical, but then have the ball skills to play on the top end and in the third level. He can do it all at safety, nickel or dime. He loves the physicality of football and just loves playing ball. Antonio will be a great asset in special teams. He is always looking for ways to get better, a gym rat kind of guy. Weight room, film room, practice field, willing to do whatever it takes to improve. He was a heck of an offensive player in high school with over 1,000 yards receiving his senior year. He has elite ability to judge the ball and play the ball in a deep part of the field in coverage.”
Johnson was a veteran leader on a seasoned secondary that helped the Aggies lead the nation in passing defense, allowing just 156.2 yards through the air last season. Johnson and the A&M defense also ranked sixth in forced fumbles (16) and boasted a top-25 ranking in scoring defense (21.2) as a unit last season. The junior was tied for third in the SEC with three forced fumbles on the season and finished the year second on the team with 71 tackles. Despite missing three games due to injury, Johnson returned for the final three games of the season and forced a fumble in each game. The East St. Louis, Illinois, native registered the sixth double-digit tackles game of his career in the victory over No. 6 LSU, tallying 10 takedowns for the second time in three games to close out his final season in Aggieland. Johnson finished his career starting 22 of the 28 games he played in, tallying 164 tackles.
As a sophomore, Johnson started all 12 games and was second on the Aggies with 79 tackles. His team-best 53 solo takedowns ranked among the top 11 in the SEC in 2021. His five pass breakups and 8.5 tackles-for-loss also ranked top five on the team.
“Jaylon is another tough, smart, physical football player with good length as a defensive back and can play special teams as well. He has proven he can play corner but could also figure in as a safety and be a versatile player in the defensive backfield. He is a conscientious player, not afraid to spend time in the playbook and film room to help him improve. The more versatility you have as a player in the NFL, the better your value.”
Jones started all 32 games he played in during his three seasons in Aggieland. He tallied 98 tackles, 72 of which were solo takedowns, and added 17 pass breakups. In his final season, Jones was a key contributor on an Aggie defense that boasted the No. 1 passing defense in the nation, giving up just 156.2 yards through the air per game, as well as the No. 25 scoring defense (21.2). As a sophomore, Jones ranked 13th in the SEC with eight pass breakups.