Derrick Johnson returns to Austin to talk Longhorns, Colin Simmons – and to read to kids

Derrick Johnson is familiar with the expectations now facing Colin Simmons.

Johnson, the former Texas football linebacker and 2004 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner, put some pressure on himself in the summer of 2004. He shined for the Longhorns as a junior in 2003 and was considered a preseason favorite to win a collection of postseason awards ahead of the 2004 campaign.

As the first Texas player to win the Nagurski Trophy – award to college football’s best defensive player – Johnson delivered on that promise. But the winter honor wasn’t the culmination of careful summer planning and fall tracking. Instead, Johnson says he followed one piece of advice, something he now passes along to Texas’ current defensive star:

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“Be where your feet are.”

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Johnson hopes his five words can help guide Simmons, the latest All-American defender to play for Texas. Johnson says he also has a soft spot for Texas’ quarterback, who Johnson says should take notes from a fellow Longhorns legend.

Here’s what he had to say from an Austin-area charity event Wednesday:

Derrick Johnson compares Texas QBs

Johnson said he expects Simmons to forgo a senior season in Austin and declare for the 2027 NFL Draft. He’s unsure whether Arch Manning will do the same with a potential fifth collegiate year available. Simmons has been widely projected as first-round draft pick next spring. The scenario is relatable for Johnson, who eschewed the 2004 NFL Draft, returned to Austin and was then selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the No. 15 overall pick one year later.

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“I loved college, I think that was the best time of my life,” Johnson said Monday at Blazier Elementary School during an event for his Defend the Dream Foundation. “Sometimes I scratch my head when football players leave early, I’m like, ‘Damn, college is fun, man.’ Don’t get me wrong, the pros is fun, but college is different. If you’re not going to be a top-10 pick, a first-round pick at least, I’d stay in school and enjoy it.”

Manning’s 2027 decision will be made at a later date. As for 2026, Johnson said Manning’s demeanor off the gridiron might be as important as his performance between the white lines. The Longhorns of the Mack Brown era were scrutinized much like the current Longhorns under current head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Johnson credits his former quarterback for keeping his team from feeling excessive nerves or pressure.

“When you have a guy like Vince Young, you have a special player, not just on the field, but off the field,” Johnson said. “He breeds confidence in the players around him, and the coaches. He’s a guy that helps loosen the coaches up. When you have a guy of that caliber that can be loosey-goosey and dance and be loose before the game and still be focused, that’s a big deal.

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“His locker was right next to mine. He’d come up before a game and be like, ‘What’s up, DJ? We about to handle business?’ And I’d loosen up a little bit and go have a day.”

Manning is unlikely to unleash a pregame dance in the locker room like Young. That’s not exactly necessary, per Johnson. Instead, he wants to see Manning show his full personality, whether that be his light-hearted side, or the “edgy” version touted by head coach Steve Sarkisian in recent weeks.

“I’m an Arch fan, just in the way he plays the game and how he goes about things,” Johnson said. “I want him to be himself, and I know him and (Sarkisian) and their chemistry is going to get better and better each week.”

Former Texas star tackles new challenge

A Waco native, Johnson was a ferocious linebacker in four seasons at Texas and 13 years in the NFL. He attacks his new job with a similar spirit.

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Johnson’s Defend the Dream Foundation specializes in programs benefiting child literacy, with more than 4,000 students impacted since 2012. Monday marked the unveiling of the ninth “Discovery Den” in the greater Austin area as well as Kansas City, where elementary school libraries are updated with roughly 1,000 new books, among other improvements.

The former All-American is the son of a 40-year math teacher, Beverley Johnson. He says reading and education were “constant” in his youth, and he stressed Monday he’s the product of a Title I school, a public school that received federal financial assistance.

“Life was tough, having your mom as a teacher,” Johnson joked to roughly 25 kindergartners and grade schoolers Monday as he read his book, “Super DJ Saves Field Day”. “But she knew what was important in life.”

Johnson’s closed his conversation with students Monday by repeating one particular piece of advice. It’s a message Johnson finds to be universal, both for elementary students in Austin, and those who take the field at Royal-Memorial Stadium each Saturday in the fall.

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“No matter what,” Johnson said. “Try your best to be your best.”

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This article originally published at Derrick Johnson returns to Austin to talk Longhorns, Colin Simmons – and to read to kids.

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