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Johnson, Pederson, Straughter Sign NFL UDFA Contracts

Johnson, Pederson, Straughter Sign NFL UDFA Contracts

Football May 01
MONROE, La. – Three ULM seniors – running back Josh Johnson (Seattle Seahawks), tight end Josh Pederson (San Francisco 49ers) and cornerback Corey Straughter (Jacksonville Jaguars) – have signed as undrafted free agents with NFL teams.
 
The 5-foot-9, 209-pound Johnson closed out his career ranked among ULM's all-time leaders in rushing average (fourth at 5.48 yards per carry), rushing yards (12th with 1,688) and rushing touchdowns (12th with 16). He also had 31 career receptions for 175 yards (5.6 avg.) and one score.
 
Despite battling a hamstring injury throughout the 2020 season, he still managed to lead ULM in rushing yards (321) and rushing TDs (4). Johnson matched his season high with 51 yards on 11 carries in the finale at Arkansas State, including a 4-yard TD run. He also gained 51 yards each against Texas State (17 attempts) and at Liberty (13).
 
He accounted for a career-best three touchdowns in ULM's 35-30 Homecoming loss to Georgia Southern. It marked his fifth career multi-TD game. Johnson finished off a six-play, 72-yard drive with a 26-yard TD run around left end early in the second quarter. Late in the third quarter, he slipped out of the backfield to score the first receiving TD of his career on a 2-yard toss from Colby Suits, closing out a 13-play, 73-yard drive. Johnson capped off an eight-play, 80-yard drive with a 2-yard TD plunge off right guard with 4:59 left in the fourth quarter, as the Warhawks pulled to within five points after trailing by as many as 18 points in the third quarter.
 
In 2019, Johnson ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference and 13th in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing, averaging 108.2 yards per game.
 
An All-Sun Belt Second-Team selection as a junior, he also finished among the NCAA FBS Top 20 in yards per carry (10th at 6.46) and rushing yards (tied for 18th with 1,298). His 1,298 rushing yards ranked as the fourth-highest single-season total in ULM history. In addition, Johnson led the Warhawks in all-purpose yards (1,420) while ranking second in rushing touchdowns (11) and scoring (66 points). His eight runs of 30-plus yards ranked tied for eighth in the NCAA FBS. He also had 13 receptions for 122 yards (9.4 avg.).
 
Johnson was stopped for a loss only nine times in 201 rushing attempts in 2019. He opened his junior season with 69 consecutive carries without being tackled in the backfield.
 
A native of Hurtsboro, Alabama, Johnson recorded seven 100-yard rushing games in 2019 while becoming ULM's first 1,000-yard rusher since Frank Goodin (219 rushes for 1,126 yards and 13 TDs) in 2009.
 
The 6-5, 235-pound Pederson led the Warhawks in receptions (32) and receiving yards (367) in 2020 while earning All-Sun Belt Second-Team honors. Twenty of his 32 catches (63 percent) resulted in first downs. Pederson, who caught at least one pass in each of his last 22 consecutive games, closed out his collegiate career with a streak of 26 consecutive starts at tight end.
 
With his 21-yard reception on a third-and-8 play midway through the third quarter at Liberty, Pederson became only the fifth tight end in ULM history to reach the 1,000-yard career milestone (Jackie Harris, 1986-89: 2,149 career receiving yards; Joey Evans, 1981-84: 1,764; Bobby Craighead, 1980-83: 1,095; and Fred Coleman, 1973-74: 1,080).
 
Despite missing the entire fourth quarter with a sprained ankle against Georgia Southern, he still managed three receptions for 53 yards. His 22-yard sliding grab – off a deflection from Eagle cornerback Ephraim Kitchen Jr. – on a fourth-and-7 play helped set up a field goal late in the first quarter. Pederson also hooked up with Colby Suits for a 25-yard gain on a TD drive to close out the first half, as ULM cut its halftime deficit to 21-17.
 
Pederson hauled in four passes for 27 yards against UTEP and caught four passes for 38 yards in ULM's Sun Belt Conference opener against Texas State.
 
In the 2020 season opener at Army, Pederson had a team-high five catches for 56 yards, with four of those five receptions producing first downs. He earned the third-highest grade among all NCAA FBS tight ends in Week 2, according to Pro Football Focus.
 
As a junior in 2019, Pederson set career highs for receptions (43), receiving yards (567) and touchdown receptions (9) while being selected honorable mention PFF All-American and All-Sun Belt First Team.
 
A native of Moorestown, New Jersey, Pederson had 99 career receptions for 1,191 yards (12.0 avg.) and 11 touchdowns in 44 games. His TD catches (second), receptions (third) receiving yards (third) rank among the top totals compiled by a tight end in ULM history.
 
The 5-10, 183-pound Straughter started the first three games in 2020 before being sidelined for the remainder of the season with a wrist injury. Straughter first sprained his wrist during a preseason scrimmage. He posted four tackles and a pass break-up in three games.
 
Straughter finished his career ranked among ULM's all-time Top 20 in interception return yards (second at 250), pass break-ups (tied for eighth with 20) and interceptions (tied for 15th with 9).
 
As a junior in 2019, Straughter was named All-American by both USA TODAY (second team) and Pro Football Focus (third team) as well as First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference after being listed among the NCAA FBS leaders in interceptions (tied for seventh with 5) and passes defended (tied for 14th with 15).
 
His 15 passes defended led the Sun Belt and his five interceptions tied for the league lead. Straughter allowed the nation's lowest passer rating (13.5), lowest completion percentage (28.6) and fewest combined receptions for first downs and touchdowns (7). His 89.9 coverage grade ranked sixth-highest among all NCAA FBS cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed only one touchdown reception in 2019 (came in the season finale at the Ragin' Cajuns) and one explosive pass play (20-plus yards; came on the opening drive of Game 11 vs. Coastal Carolina).
 
The Monroe, Louisiana, native also contributed 23 tackles (18 solos, 5 assists) in 2019.
 
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