University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
MJ Johnson Looks to Share His Gifts This Football Season
8/7/2026 2:00:00 PM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Some 22 years ago or so, MJ Johnson proved to be quite the Yuletime gift for his family, delivered during the Christmas holidays.
"I was actually supposed to be born on Christmas, but my mom wanted to eat with the family," Johnson said of his arrival on Dec. 26 in Enterprise, Ala.
Flash forward a few decades, and Johnson has arrived on the University of Southern Mississippi campus, where he hopes to be able to present his gifts as a play-making slot receiver/return man for the Golden Eagles during the 2026 football season.
"I think it's gonna be great," Johnson said. "I want to have a great year, in the return game especially, and helping the offense."
Johnson was a big help at Northwest Mississippi Community College the past two years.
He helped the Rangers post consecutive 10-win seasons and reach the National Junior College Athletic Association playoffs, including the national semifinals last fall.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Johnson averaged 31 catches, 456 yards and five touchdowns in his two seasons, including 38 catches, 497 yards and six touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore.
"We had a great O-line and a great running back," Johnson said. "I was kind of that guy, if we needed a play, they kind of came to me."
As a redshirt freshman, he turned in the Rangers' fifth-best season ever as a kick returner, picking up 541 yards on 25 returns. He also snagged 24 catches for 416 yards and four scores.
Johnson spent the 2023 season at Troy University, appearing in just one game, after a standout career at Enterprise (Ala.) High School, where he ran for 3,305 yards, the second-most career rushing yards in school history.
A two-time, all-state selection, he moved to receiver as a senior at EHS, but also continued to carry the football, running for 484 yards and seven touchdowns while finishing with 632 receiving yards and eight more TDs.
Southern Miss hopes to take advantage of Johnson's ability to make plays, thanks in part to his quickness and high-4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash.
"He's one of the fastest, if not the fastest guy on the team, and we intend to utilize him in that way," Southern Miss inside receivers coach Brandon Bowling said. "I expect him to make a hug impact for us in the fall."
Johnson said he also hoped to develop into a team leader and share the lessons he learned in coming out of a winning program.
"I want to be that older leader," Johnson said. "This is my fourth season and I kind of know what to expect.
"I'm not trying to brag or stuff, but ever since I've been in college. So, I've seen it and I know. So, I'm just trying to bring that."
Bowling said he has seen Johnson work ethic and dedication since arriving at USM.
"He's great," Bowling said. "He's probably one of the hardest-working kids in the room. He cares about improving and finding ways to get better on a daily basis.
"Again, he's just one of the hardest-working kids who I have the ability to coach and I appreciate how he comes in every, single day looking for something to get better at."
Johnson said he quickly realized that he had stepped onto a different stage at Southern Miss after going through spring practice under first-year head football coach Blake Anderson.
"Spring was tough," Johnson said. "Spring is going to be Spring.
"But it set the standard of what we want to build and what shape you have to be in to play on this team. Spring was a big first step in building our culture."
Johnson said the rotation at slot receiver has yet to be determined as the Golden Eagles continue preseason camp leading up to the Sept. 5 opener with Alcorn State.
Mario Sanders, a 5-10, 191-pound redshirt senior transfer from the University of Illinois, also is in the slot, with sophomore Jaylen Himes (5-9, 185) and redshirt junior A.J. Little (5-11, 200) capable of playing there or splitting wide.
"It's a talented group," Johnson said. "We all can ball. I don't see any slack in the rotation at all."
While the depth chart likely will sort itself out by month's end, come December, Johnson will celebrate another birthday on a date that doesn't get lost on the calendar in his family amid the opened presents and Christmas Day memories.
"My parents kept it separate," Johnson said, smiling. "Big shoutout to Mom."
"I was actually supposed to be born on Christmas, but my mom wanted to eat with the family," Johnson said of his arrival on Dec. 26 in Enterprise, Ala.
Flash forward a few decades, and Johnson has arrived on the University of Southern Mississippi campus, where he hopes to be able to present his gifts as a play-making slot receiver/return man for the Golden Eagles during the 2026 football season.
"I think it's gonna be great," Johnson said. "I want to have a great year, in the return game especially, and helping the offense."
Johnson was a big help at Northwest Mississippi Community College the past two years.
He helped the Rangers post consecutive 10-win seasons and reach the National Junior College Athletic Association playoffs, including the national semifinals last fall.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Johnson averaged 31 catches, 456 yards and five touchdowns in his two seasons, including 38 catches, 497 yards and six touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore.
"We had a great O-line and a great running back," Johnson said. "I was kind of that guy, if we needed a play, they kind of came to me."
As a redshirt freshman, he turned in the Rangers' fifth-best season ever as a kick returner, picking up 541 yards on 25 returns. He also snagged 24 catches for 416 yards and four scores.
Johnson spent the 2023 season at Troy University, appearing in just one game, after a standout career at Enterprise (Ala.) High School, where he ran for 3,305 yards, the second-most career rushing yards in school history.
A two-time, all-state selection, he moved to receiver as a senior at EHS, but also continued to carry the football, running for 484 yards and seven touchdowns while finishing with 632 receiving yards and eight more TDs.
Southern Miss hopes to take advantage of Johnson's ability to make plays, thanks in part to his quickness and high-4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash.
"He's one of the fastest, if not the fastest guy on the team, and we intend to utilize him in that way," Southern Miss inside receivers coach Brandon Bowling said. "I expect him to make a hug impact for us in the fall."
Johnson said he also hoped to develop into a team leader and share the lessons he learned in coming out of a winning program.
"I want to be that older leader," Johnson said. "This is my fourth season and I kind of know what to expect.
"I'm not trying to brag or stuff, but ever since I've been in college. So, I've seen it and I know. So, I'm just trying to bring that."
Bowling said he has seen Johnson work ethic and dedication since arriving at USM.
"He's great," Bowling said. "He's probably one of the hardest-working kids in the room. He cares about improving and finding ways to get better on a daily basis.
"Again, he's just one of the hardest-working kids who I have the ability to coach and I appreciate how he comes in every, single day looking for something to get better at."
Johnson said he quickly realized that he had stepped onto a different stage at Southern Miss after going through spring practice under first-year head football coach Blake Anderson.
"Spring was tough," Johnson said. "Spring is going to be Spring.
"But it set the standard of what we want to build and what shape you have to be in to play on this team. Spring was a big first step in building our culture."
Johnson said the rotation at slot receiver has yet to be determined as the Golden Eagles continue preseason camp leading up to the Sept. 5 opener with Alcorn State.
Mario Sanders, a 5-10, 191-pound redshirt senior transfer from the University of Illinois, also is in the slot, with sophomore Jaylen Himes (5-9, 185) and redshirt junior A.J. Little (5-11, 200) capable of playing there or splitting wide.
"It's a talented group," Johnson said. "We all can ball. I don't see any slack in the rotation at all."
While the depth chart likely will sort itself out by month's end, come December, Johnson will celebrate another birthday on a date that doesn't get lost on the calendar in his family amid the opened presents and Christmas Day memories.
"My parents kept it separate," Johnson said, smiling. "Big shoutout to Mom."
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, February 04
Wednesday, February 04
Monday, January 19
Monday, December 15