A former student of LCBI High School in Outlook who first made waves on the football field here has just hit the big time in his gridiron career.
Kayden Johnson, who graduated from the ‘Home of the Bisons’ in 2014, was officially drafted into the Canadian Football League (CFL) on Thursday, April 30, selected in the 7th round of the league draft and the 57th overall pick.
Kayden, 24, will now don the jersey of the BC Lions, 6-time Grey Cup champions. The hard work and dedication put in by the Kerrobert native on the field will now allow him the opportunity to make his mark at the professional level.
For the last four years, Johnson has plied his talents at York University in Toronto, playing for another team coincidentally called the Lions. In 25 games with the Lions, Johnson rushed for 1,182 yards and six touchdowns while adding 34 receptions for 390 yards and one touchdown catch.
Without a doubt, the 6’3”, 223-lb running back is someone who has put in the work to obtain the golden ticket placed in front of him.
Johnson joins a small list of former LCBI athletes to go pro. Brian Guebert, a 1999 graduate, attended training camp with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2003, appearing in one exhibition game against Winnipeg. He was then signed as a free agent to the Bombers in May 2007 as an active special teams player before being released after the 2008 season.
Off the football field, Kayden also excelled in track and field events in years past, which is where his athletic career began. Johnson’s background includes a lot of athleticism in his family history; his father Winchester was an exceptional athlete who competed at the Masters level in the decathlon event for Canada, while mother Angy played soccer and basketball at the University of Saskatchewan, as well as representing the province in hockey in 1989.
Kayden’s earliest highlights in football during his high school years included suiting up for the province at the Canada Cup in 2013, as well as consecutive appearances at the International Bowl in Texas. Meanwhile, in track and field, he placed 5th when he competed at the 2015 Pan American Junior Games in Edmonton a year after graduating from LCBI in 2014.
Johnson told CFL.ca media that everything in his athletic life has led to this moment in grabbing a spot on a CFL roster, and the young powerhouse hopes to make an impact while living out a dream.
“I want to progress my football IQ and get that experience at the next level to help the team because I want to win a Grey Cup or a Super Bowl,” said Kayden. “I want to experience that with a team and get into camp and see what I can do. What I want to do the most is make an impact.
It’s been a lifelong dream of mine and I’m really excited. I’d say it’s more exciting than anything because I can’t wait to finally get a chance to live out that dream.”
