Paris Johnson reveals what excites him about the NFL, advice for current Ohio State OL

As he gets ready for the 2023 NFL Draft, Paris Johnson returned to Columbus for the first time as a former Buckeye. He was in attendance for the Ohio State Scarlet and Gray spring game, and he updated how things are going with less than two weeks to go until the draft.

Johnson spoke with Big Ten Network’s Brooke Fletcher during the spring game and said the pre-draft process has been “great” since his time as a Buckeye came to an end. Now, he’s gearing up to jump up a competition level and face some of the biggest names in the game — and he’s ready for it.

“I think, honestly, it’s just the competition,” Johnson said of what excites him about the NFL. “It just ratchets up. Now I’ll be able to play against the guys I’ve been seeing on TV, the guys I think that are great. I’ve been playing alongside some of the greats, but at the same time, I’ve played for good quarterbacks. Going against guys like Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, those type of guys. I’ve been waiting for that since I was a kid.

“So to play against those guys and meet some of those guys in recruiting and whatnot and trying to get to the next level, I’m happy for them but now, I’m ready to shut them down because I respect those guys, so I want to dominate them.”

Paris Johnson on competing for a spot on the Ohio State OL: ‘It’s intense but at the same time, do things right’

Now that he’s off to the pros, though, someone will have to replace Johnson on the offensive line. He started his career at Ohio State as a guard, but moved over to tackle for his last two seasons. His performance on the line stood out as he was named an All-American last year — something he said he wanted to do when he stepped on campus for the first time.

Johnson’s departure opens the door for another player to slide into that tackle spot, and he shared his advice for those younger players preparing to step up.

“To stay calm and as in trying to compete for a spot, it’s intense but at the same time, do things right,” Johnson said. “You can’t expect everything to come together in one day or one practice and film study. It’s going to take time. So I think just tell them to continue to chase their goals, just expect to see the progress, but not to accomplish all their dreams to be the ultimate left tackle, ultimate right tackle, in one day. It’s OK that things are going to be a slow process as long as they have that fight to keep going.”