Former Oklahoma State Wide Receiver Leon Johnson III Signs with Chargers as Undrafted Free Agent

Leon Johnson III has completed the journey of Division-III to NFL.

Johnson, who played one season at Oklahoma State after transferring from Division-III George Fox, signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent Saturday. The 2024 NFL Draft concluded Saturday evening without any Cowboys being selected. But the draft ending means free agent signings rapidly rolling in, as former OSU defensive end Nathan Latu signed with the New Orleans Saints just before Johnson’s signing was announced.

Johnson made an impressive impact in his only season at the Division-I level, stepping up when the Cowboys suffered a plethora of injuries at receiver and starting the last seven games of season, during which OSU went 5-2. Listed at 6-foot-5, Johnson caught 33 passes for 539 yards and a touchdown this past season. He didn’t even catch a pass until until OSU’s win against Cincinnati, meaning all of his stats came after Week 8. Johnson posted a career-high 149 receiving yards in that coming-out party against Cincinnati. A chunk of those yards came from an impressive 67-yard catch.

At George Fox, Johnson was an AFCA DIII First Team All-American and the Northwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 after posting 55 receptions for 1,156 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also earned second team All-Northwest Conference honors in 2021 and led George Fox in every major receiving category as a freshman in 2019.