NFL Draft prospect Mustafa Johnson returns to Colorado Buffs
BOULDER, Colo. — The Colorado Buffaloes received great news Wednesday as their All-Pac 12 defensive lineman got the green light to return to college football in Boulder just days before the start of the 2021 season. Mustafa Johnson went undrafted in this year’s NFL Draft and then declined a training camp invite from the New York Jets. The defensive lineman’s return to college football comes after the NCAA granted him another year of eligibility due to a Covid season as well as him declining contracts from interested NFL teams.
Johnson was slated to be a drafted player, but his history of medical issues ultimately landed him undrafted. The only other Colorado Buffalo to be draft eligible in 2021 was Will Sherman who went in the 5th round to the New England Patriots.
After his freshman year of junior college football at Modesto in California, Johnson found himself in Boulder as a big part of the Buffaloes defensive line. Johnson is actually a Colorado native from Aurora, Colorado and decided to accept an offer to come back home after receiving numerous other Division I offers across the country.
He was a late bloomer coming out of high school and is still seen as a bit undersized. At 6’ foot 0” and 280 pounds it is always funny to call someone undersized, but in the pros that is considered smaller for a pro defensive lineman. In his 27 career games with the Buffaloes, he has accounted for 26 total tackles for loss and 15 career sacks. Johnson wrapped up his 2018 season with 73 tackles, which was the most for any defensive line with Colorado University since 1997 and 18 tackles for a loss that same year, which was the most since 1993.
It is unclear when Johnson will return to game action, but it is possible that he can make his return as early as Oct. 2 for a big game when the Buffaloes take on the USC Trojans at Folsom Field in Boulder. Johnson was known as one of the hardest working and highest motor players on the Buffaloes leading the defensive line unit as a three-year starter. The 2021 season should prove to be a blessing for Johnson giving him an opportunity to bulk up to NFL size and show teams he is worthy of a draft pick in 2021. Bulking up would allow Johnson to gain position that he sometimes lost against bigger blockers. Colorado will need Johnson to return to the lineup as soon as possible as the Buffaloes come into the season with a young and somewhat inexperienced starting defensive line unit.
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