Wawasee’s Johnson Signs With Cardinals
SYRACUSE — Wednesday represented the culmination of a lifelong dream for Wawasee’s Brayden Johnson.
The senior punter/ kicker signed on to continue his football career at NCAA Division I Ball State and was beaming throughout the ceremony. In fact, Johnson had been on cloud nine all day.
“I tell you what, I’ve been happy all day,” he said. “When I began playing football at five, it’s been a dream of mine to play on TV and build a football bond with the players and everything. Just being able to fulfill my dream, it’s amazing. Not a lot of people can say that. “
As of two weeks ago, Johnson was still verbally committed to NAIA DII Indiana Wesleyan University. But after giving it some thought, Johnson and his family decided the Cardinals would be a better fit for the All-American.
“I went down to Ball State a week before I de-committed to Indiana Wesleyan. Being there, talking to the coaches and being around them, it felt like home. I talked to my family. It was a family decision, I felt like I had to do what was best for me overall,” he explained.
“I like the coaches, a great atmosphere. They have a good program building down there, and I’m excited to see what it will turn out to be.”
Johnson capped off his football career with the Warriors with an outstanding senior season in which he averaged 45.3 yards per punt and 68 yards per kickoff, performances for which he collected a number of accolades. He was named a Kohl’s High School Season First Team All-American, as well as an ESPN All-American Punter, an All-Northern Lakes Conference First Team selection and an All-Region 2 All-Star and scholar-athlete.
Playing at the next level will no doubt be an adjustment, but Johnson says he’s ready for it.
“I’m born ready,” he said with a chuckle.
“It’s going to be a change, but I can handle it. It’s going to be fun. I’m excited.”
In addition to the family atmosphere Ball State’s coaches emphasized during his visit to the campus, the college’s nursing program was also a big draw for Johnson, who says his family stressed academics in his decision-making process.
“They flat out told me ‘We don’t care what you do. We want you to be happy. Academics will come first,’” Johnson recalled. “I told them that’s where I wanted to go, and Ball State has a great nursing program. They said ‘I’m going to be behind you 110 percent of the way.’ That really made me happy.
“Just knowing that I can one day be able to change a life or two, it’s going to be cool. Just helping others get better and get to where they need to be, that’s really why I’m doing it.”
The Cardinals compete in the Mid-American Conference, finishing the 2018 season with a 4-8 record, including a 3-5 mark in MAC play. Family is important to Johnson, and Scheumann Stadium and the Muncie campus are located just two hours away from Johnson’s hometown of North Webster. It’s not too close or too far away, says Johnson, and there should be plenty of opportunity for family to come watch him play.
“It’s not too far and not too close, you know? About a two-hour drive from where I am, and I have family 45 minutes away. I love it there; it’s a great fit,” he said.