Xavier Johnson reportedly signing with Buffalo Bills as undrafted free agent
COLUMBUS — Xavier Johnson is signing with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. The former Ohio State wide receiver will be fighting an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, but Johnson has a history of beating the odds.
READ: Xavier Johnson’s Ohio State journey has prepared him for uphill battle to NFL roster
Johnson started his Buckeyes career as a walk-on from Summit County Day in Cincinnati.
He was put on scholarship in 2021, and he finished his Buckeyes career in 2023 as a team captain and the recipient of the “Block O” jersey, which is given to an Ohio State player who represents the toughness, accountability and high character displayed by Buckeyes legend Bill Willis, an All-American and national champion defensive end in the ’40s that later went on to break the color barrier in the NFL.
Johnson entered the NFL Draft as a wide receiver, however, he was a Swiss Army knife — otherwise known as “weapon X” — at Ohio State, where he first played defensive back and then seesawed back and forth from the wide receiver and running back rooms.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound playmaker broke out in 2022, right from the get-go actually. Johnson clinched a season-opening win over Notre Dame with a clutch touchdown reception. He delivered another timely score, thanks to a highlight-reel spin move, in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal versus Georgia.
He logged 297 yards and tree total touchdowns from scrimmage that season. Sandwiched between the aforementioned touchdowns was a zig-zagging, 71-yard run to the end zone against Indiana.
Johnson also recovered blocked punts back-to-back weeks, flexing his heads-up special teams play. Special teams, after all, are where Johnson piled up close to 900 snaps in his career.
He averaged 22 yards per kick return each of his last two seasons at Ohio State. In his sixth and final year, he didn’t score, yet he did register a career-high 368 yards from scrimmage.
His versatility, both on special teams and offense, gives Johnson a better chance than most undrafted free agents to carve out a role for himself in training camp.
A chance is all Johnson needs.
“It’s been a dream come true,” Johnson said of his journey after Ohio State’s Pro Day in March. “From when I was a little kid, I’ve wanted to play football at the professional level. I started playing football when I was 5, I’ve never missed a season. So it’s been the love of my life for the last 19 years.
“To look back on that as a little kid out there playing and practicing with my older brother, getting his drills and different things like that, and fast forward all the way to this point, this process has been surreal. It’s been nothing short of a blessing.”
Recruiting background on Xavier Johnson
On3 Industry Ranking (2018 Recruiting Class): No. 808 nationally, No. 137 WR, No. 36 Ohio
On3 Industry Ranking Star Rating: 3-star prospect
Johnson’s unorthodox yet inspiring Buckeyes career started with him joining the program as a preferred walk-on. Before that, he was a standout player at Summit County Day in Cincinnati, where he scored rushing, receiving, kickoff return, punt return and interception return touchdowns as a senior. The three-star prospect accounted for 766 receiving yards, 623 rushing yards and a combined 18 offensive touchdowns that season. He committed to the Buckeyes as a preferred walk-on with the intention of playing defensive back. He wound up in the receiving room. After that, he moved to the running back room. Then he pivoted back and forth between the two, all while contributing on special teams.
Johnson held scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), Ball State, Iowa State, Western Kentucky, Bowling Green, Kent State, Ohio, Akron and Buffalo, as well as FCS powerhouse North Dakota State. As mentioned above, though, rather than taking any of those offers, Johnson bet on himself at Ohio State.
