Danny Johnson wins Walter Payton award

BATON ROUGE, La. – Southern senior defensive back Danny Johnson was named the SWAC’s representative for the ninth annual Walter Payton Achievement Award Saturday at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge welcome banquet at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center. The award was presented once again by Walter Payton’s son, Jarrett Payton.

Each year before the game, one player from each team participating in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge has been awarded with the honor.

Johnson is the second Jaguar athlete to win the distinguished award joining Gary Hollimon in 2010. On the field, Johnson is recognized as the team’s best defender, recording 14 career interceptions as a three-year starter. The East Feliciana product is also a Criminal Justice major who holds the highest grade point averages on the team at 3.22.

The nominees included South Carolina State senior center Victor Ismael, Jr., redshirt senior linebacker Darius Leonard and redshirt senior linebacker Dayshawn Taylor, and Southern’s Johnson, senior defensive lineman Aaron Tiller and senior linebacker Kentavious Preston. Finalists were selected by coaches and administrators from each participating school.

First presented in 2008, the Walter Payton Achievement Award is named in honor of the late Walter Payton, a former All-American at Jackson State University (1971 to 1974) and Professional Football Hall of Fame running back who spent his entire NFL career (1975 to 1987) with the Chicago Bears. The award recognizes exemplary student-athletes, shining a light on character and embodiment of team spirit.

Past winners of the Walter Payton Achievement Award include, Ja-Quan Lumas, Bethune-Cookman and Charles Hughes, Alcorn State (2016); Temarrick Hemingway, South Carolina State, and Kevin Rucker Jr., Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2015); Alan Cruz, Alabama A&M, and Quentin Todd, North Carolina A&T State University (2014); Jonathan Pillow, Florida A&M University, and Kevin Eugene, Mississippi Valley State University (2013); Bobby Wenzig, Alabama State University, and Arlen McCray-Nibbs, Bethune-Cookman University (2012); Nesly Marcellon, Bethune-Cookman University, and Raheem Cardwell, Prairie View A&M University (2011); Kevin Green, Delaware State University, and Gary Hollimon, Southern University (2010); Van Phillips, Grambling State University, and Zachary Middleton, South Carolina State University (2009); Kevin Teel, Hampton University, and Marcus Smith, Jackson State University (2008).