Braydon Johnson Back on the Field With New Love for Football

All Braydon Johnson could do was watch what became a magical season for Oklahoma State that included a Bedlam victory, Big 12 championship game appearance and Fiesta Bowl comeback win over Notre Dame that capped off a 12-2 record.

After starting the season opener against Missouri State, Johnson missed the remainder of his senior season due to injury. It could've marked the end of his career, but while the Cowboys were finding success on the field, Johnson was rekindling his passion for football off of it.

"I was very happy for the guys," Johnson said. "I was at home and watched every game. Being away from here and being away from football really showed me how much I love the game and how much I missed it because they say you don't know how much you miss something until it's gone. Having that moment happen showed me how much I love the game and got my heart back into it even more."

Johnson decided to return to Oklahoma State and is now one of nine super seniors on the OSU spring roster taking advantage of their extra year of eligibility. With his newfound love for the game, Johnson can enjoy everything about his final season, while getting back on the field for the Cowboys.

"It feels amazing," Johnson said. "For me, it's a big blessing to be back with the guys. I missed a lot of time and was back in Houston sharpening my skills the whole time. It's just a blessing for me."

An experienced receiver on the Cowboy offense, Johnson played in all 24 games over his sophomore and junior seasons racking up 43 catches for 739 yards and five touchdowns over those years. One of the fastest players on the Oklahoma State team, the speedster is an explosive deep threat who has five career catches of 50 yards or more.

Besides being able to take the top off of a defense, Johnson has been valuable in the return game for the Pokes. As he works his way back onto the field, spring practice is a time Johnson can work on perfecting his craft before being back to 100% in the fall.

"For me it is technique, releases and showing no indicators in my routes," Johnson said. "Just being real technical with my route running."

While 2021 was a tough year for Johnson as he could only watch his team from afar, he took lessons from it that he believes will benefit him as he looks to have a successful senior season that will help not only his future, but the Cowboy offense as well.

"It taught me a lot about patience," Johnson said. "I got to sit by myself and have one-on-ones with myself that allowed me to focus on my flaws and my weaknesses that I was lacking in. I honed in on that, focused on that and made it work to put my past behind me."

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Braydon Johnson Back on the Field With New Love for Football

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