UK football: Top 5 NFL Draft picks from the past 20 years

There might not be a more beloved UK football than Stevie Johnson. And it’s all because of one catch that he made back in 2007 against the Louisville Cardinals. With 33 seconds left in the game and the Cats trailing 33-34 against UofL, Johnson got loose down the sideline and caught an Andre Woodson pass for the winning touchdown. UK had lost the previous 4 rivalry games to the Cards before that win. Check out the video of the game-winning catch below.

The Cats would go on to win the Music City Bowl that season, and Johnson racked up 1,052 on 61 catches and scored 13 touchdowns. He was only the 4th player in school history to collect over 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

Stevie Johnson was drafted in the seventh-round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. Johnson rewarded the Bills’ taking a flyer on him by exploding onto the NFL scene during his third year in the league. Johnson finished 2010 with 82 receptions for 1,073 and 10 touchdowns.

The Bills rewarded Johnson with a new contract before the 2012 season worth $36 million dollars. After drafting Sammy Watkins, the Bills traded Johnson to the 49ers. Johnson played with the Niners in 2014, and then for the Chargers in 2015.

Injuries derailed Johnson’s career, and he finished 2016 on injured reserve. He was released by the Chargers the following offseason, and hasn’t latched on with another team since. Johnson is unlikely to land with another NFL team, but no one in Big Blue Nation will ever forget that catch in 2007.