Gardner-Webb product Brian Johnston saw a long day end with tremendous news Sunday, as he was drafted in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.  The 6-foot-5, 274-pounder enters a very good situation with the Chiefs, who traded Pro Bowl end Jared Allen to the Vikings last week, and did not draft any other defensive ends this year.  Johnston is one of only three defensive ends listed on the Chiefs’ roster, along with Tamba Hali and Turk McBride, following the end of Sunday’s draft.  Projected to go between the third and fifth rounds Sunday, Johnston endured a long waiting game at his home in San Diego, but was ecstatic when he got the call from Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham.

He is the first Gardner-Webb prospect drafted by an NFL club since Terry Guess went to the Saints in the fifth round of the 1996 draft.  Johnston has NFL-caliber athleticism, with his March 8, workout in San Diego turning heads. The former Madison (Calif.) High standout posted some eye-popping numbers in the 40-yard dash (4.66 seconds), 10-yard split (1.51 seconds), pro shuttle (4.18 seconds), bench press (31 reps) and vertical jump (35 inches).  Johnston finished his senior season as a consensus Division I FCS (Championship Subdivision) All-America, earning a spot on seven different All-America teams. He racked up 74 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, six sacks and 22 quarterback pressures en route to his second Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year trophy.  A two-time All-America selection (2006 second-team Associated Press), Johnston finished his career as the top tackler among defensive linemen in school history (269 hits), and totaled 53.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks and 69 quarterback pressures. He played just three seasons at defensive end, after spending his true freshman season started at outside (JACK) linebacker.

Johnston joins former Gardner-Webb standout Jim Maxwell in the National Football League.  Maxwell, a free agent signee in 2004 by the New York Giants, is currently a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.