The wait for Jermaine Johnson II is finally over.

The New York Jets selected the former Florida State defensive end at No. 26 overall in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday. The Jets traded up for the pick with the Tennessee Titans.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Johnson considerably dropped in the draft relative to expectations. Some NFL Draft projections predicted he would be a top 10 pick. NFL Draft experts project him to be an immediate starter who could play professionally for longer than a decade.

Johnson is first former Seminole player selected in the first round since the Carolina Panthers drafted Brian Burns at No. 16 overall in 2019. FSU now has 46 first-round picks in program history.

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Jermaine Johnson impressed during pre-draft process

Even though Johnson went later than expected, the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year made a solid impression during the pre-draft process.

In January, Johnson shined during the week of practices leading up to the Senior Bowl, the annual postseason all-star game in Mobile, Ala. He also tallied 27 reps in the 225-pound bench press at his Pro Day in Tallahassee last month, which would have tied Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux for the most among edge rushers participating in the event at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

Transferring to FSU from Georgia before last season helped Johnson significantly elevate his draft stock. Johnson likely would have been drafted had he stayed with the Bulldogs. But by joining the Seminoles, Johnson received the chance to prove what he could accomplish as a featured player.

In his increased role, Johnson cemented himself as FSU’s most impactful player in two seasons under head coach Mike Norvell. He recorded 70 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery across 12 games.

Since his days as a two-star recruit in the 2017 class, Johnson has been making the most of his opportunities. The Eden Prairie (Minn.) High product spent his first two collegiate seasons playing for Independence (Kan.) Community College before Georgia pursued and landed him as a transfer.

Across 20 games at Independence, Johnson totaled 96 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Johnson served a key rotational role in two seasons with the Bulldogs, appearing in 21 games with four starts and amassing 36 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, 24 quarterback pressures, one forced fumble and two pass breakups.

Up Next

The NFL Draft will resume at 7 p.m. Friday (rounds 2-3) and noon Saturday (rounds 4-7) while continuing to be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.

Fellow defensive lineman Keir Thomas and running back Jashaun Corbin are the other former FSU football players expected to be selected by an NFL team during the three-day event, which is being held in Las Vegas.

Reach Carter Karels at ckarels@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @CarterKarels.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Jermaine Johnson II taken by New York Jets at No. 26 in NFL Draft