Paris Johnson Jr. Bio
Paris Johnson Jr. is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected by the Cardinals sixth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Johnson Jr. is the son of football player and coach Paris Johnson, and he has quickly developed into a foundational piece of the Cardinals’ offensive line.
Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall and listed at 147 kilograms, Johnson Jr. combines rare size with the footwork and technique developed during his rise as one of the top high school and college prospects in the country. After earning consensus All-American honors at Ohio State, he entered the league as a long-term building block for the Cardinals’ front five.
Early Life and Background
Paris Johnson Jr. was born on July 3, 2001, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He grew up in a football household, as his father, Paris Johnson, was a defensive back who played in the NFL and later became a coach. That family connection to the game gave him an early understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Johnson attended St. Xavier High School before transferring to Princeton High School as a senior in 2019. At Princeton, he won the Anthony Muñoz Award, a prestigious honor recognizing the top lineman in the Cincinnati area. He finished his high school career ranked as the top offensive tackle in the class of 2020 and chose to continue his football development at Ohio State University.
Path to American Football
Coming out of high school as the top-ranked offensive tackle in his class, Johnson arrived at Ohio State with the expectation that he would anchor the Buckeyes’ offensive line for years to come. He moved into the program and began preparing for Big Ten competition under the guidance of the Ohio State coaching staff.
He played in five games as a freshman in 2020, including a cameo at offensive guard during the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship. The following season he earned a starting role, and by his junior year he had locked down the left tackle position. His steady climb from rotational freshman to All-American cemented his status as a future NFL prospect.
Paris Johnson Jr. Career
College Career at Ohio State (2020–2022)
Johnson wasted little time making an impact at Ohio State. After appearing in five games as a freshman in 2020, he started every game at right guard in 2021, earning Second-team All-Big Ten recognition. His combination of power and mobility made him a dependable presence in the Buckeyes’ offensive scheme.
As a junior in 2022, Johnson shifted to left tackle, where he was named a consensus All-American and a First-team All-Big Ten selection. He graduated from Ohio State in December 2022 with a degree in journalism, having written several articles for the student newspaper The Lantern. His final college season positioned him as one of the most polished offensive linemen in the 2023 draft class.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2023–Present)
The Arizona Cardinals selected Johnson in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft. To secure the pick, the Cardinals traded their own first-round selection at 12th overall, a second-round pick at 34th overall, and a fifth-round pick at 168th overall to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Detroit’s sixth overall pick and a third-round selection at 81st overall. That aggressive move reflected the franchise’s confidence in Johnson’s long-term potential.
As a rookie, Johnson started all 17 games at right tackle for the Cardinals in the 2023 season, an unusually heavy workload for a first-year lineman. Following the release of longtime starter D. J. Humphries, Johnson was named the Cardinals’ starting left tackle, the position many evaluators projected him to play at the next level.
Notable Achievements and Recognition
Johnson’s college résumé includes a 2022 consensus All-American honor, a 2022 First-team All-Big Ten selection, and a 2021 Second-team All-Big Ten selection. He also captured the Anthony Muñoz Award during his senior year of high school, highlighting his standing among the country’s premier offensive linemen even before he reached the college ranks.
Off-Field Interests and Languages
Johnson majored in journalism at Ohio State and contributed to the university’s student newspaper, The Lantern. He also speaks Mandarin Chinese, having studied the language since late childhood, and some Portuguese, sparked by an interest in visiting Brazil. His academic and linguistic range mirrors the discipline he has shown on the football field.
Paris Johnson Jr. Personal Life
Family Background
Paris Johnson Jr. is the son of Paris Johnson, who was selected by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft as a safety. The elder Paris Johnson spent one season with the Cardinals before being released, and he later transitioned into coaching. Johnson Jr. founded a charity foundation under his name while still in high school.
The foundation was awarded the 2022 Armed Forces Merit Award for raising more than $10,000 to assist military veterans, student-athletes, and the homeless. That recognition underscored Johnson Jr.’s commitment to community impact alongside his responsibilities as a professional athlete.
2025 Season Outlook
Entering the 2025 NFL season, Paris Johnson Jr. is expected to anchor the Arizona Cardinals’ offensive line at left tackle. After starting every game as a rookie at right tackle in 2023 and transitioning to the left side following the release of D. J. Humphries, he now holds the most important pass-protecting role on the Cardinals’ front.
The 2025 storyline centers on his continued development as a franchise left tackle and the stability he provides to a young Cardinals offense. His combination of college pedigree, rookie experience, and versatility across tackle and guard gives Arizona a foundation to build around heading into the new season.