Josh Buchanan covers "pro hopefuls" for www.d2football.com, and helped select players for the Las Vegas All-American Classic and the Magnolia Gridiron Classic, and he was kind enough to share his small school prospect interviews with us.
QB Josh Johnson, San Diego
Josh B.: What is your current height, weight and workout numbers?
Josh J: I am 6'3, 195 pounds. My 40 was 4.56, vertical is 33 inches, and I don't know my bench reps but it is probably 6. We didn't test the squat.
Josh B.: Did you play any other sports in high school besides football?
Josh J: I played basketball and ran track.
Josh B.: How old are you?
Josh J: I am 20 years old.
Josh B.: Do you have any relatives who played in the NFL?
Josh J: No I haven't.
Josh B.: You are considered a dual-threat type player but which one do you like to do more, pass or run for touchdowns?
Josh J: Passing for sure.
Josh B.: As one of the favorites for the Payton Award this year do you feel any added pressure?
Josh J: It is the same. It is just an outside goal of mine. My goal is to get to the playoffs.
Josh B.: What do all of these awards mean to you?
Josh J: It means something because I have never gotten recognition like this but I want to make my mom proud. I want to give them to her so she can put them in the house. Every award I get to her I give them to her.
Josh B.: What are your team and individual goals for this year?
Josh J: As a team we want to win the conference, go undefeated, and make the playoffs this year. Individually I just want to lead my team. I don't like to set numbers. If we execute, the records will come.
Josh B.: Are there any prospects on your team to look for besides you for 2008 or 2009?
Josh J: Our defensive end Eric Baktahari and our wide receiver Wes Doyle. I have never seen anybody in my life catch the ball like him. For the year after that our other receiver John Matthews, he runs a 4.4. Our running back JT Logan is another one.
Josh B.: What do you feel are your strengths and weaknesses?
Josh J: My strengths are that I play under an NFL coach and I run an NFL offense. We run the same offense the Raiders and 49ers ran. I feel I can make any throw they put in front of me. I can also run if I need to and I have a good feel for the game. My weaknesses are to be more consistent with my mechanics. The times I am not accurate are when I get lazy in my mechanics.
Josh B.: You have been talked about as a possible first day pick. What does that mean to you and are you surprised by the hype?
Josh J: It means a lot just to be on an NFL team means a lot. As my career progresses it becomes a reality. The hype is there but it can always go away because it can all be taken away from you. I am just living each day one day at a time. When the opportunities come I will take advantage of them.
Josh B.: Who is the best player you have faced in your career?
Josh J: Jay McCareins of Princeton from my sophomore year.
Josh B.: Who is the best player on your team?
Josh J: That is a hard one. I can't call that one. JT, Wes, and John all do things just as good as I do. I can't call that one.
Josh B.: What are your future goals?
Josh J: My future goals are to graduate from college first and then try to make it and I will work hard to pursue that goal. If that does not work out I will go into sports broadcasting or sports media. After that I just want to take care of my family.
