Johnston graduated from Fredonia High School in 2014, then continued both his athletic and academic career at the University of Toledo. Johnston, who originally was more interested in playing basketball in college, eventually decided on football, and now, it appears the right choice was made.

At the University of Toledo, Johnston’s football career faced a few barriers, with him even taking a break from the sport after seeing the coaching staff that recruited him be replaced. Seeing his football opportunity begin to close at the University of Toledo, Johnston envoked, as a graduate transfer, to use his last year of NCAA eligibility — but not before earning his bachelor’s degree.

“There was a coaching staff change at Toledo,” said Johnston. “It was important to me to finish my degree at Toledo and furthering my education played a big part in my decision to transfer.”

When Johnston enlisted as a grad transfer, Johnston was the highest rated punter transferring in all of the NCAA, making him a hot commodity. Johnston’s academics and dreams of working on Wall Street were ultimately the driving force behind his transfer to Rutgers University.

Submitted Photo Fredonia native and FHS grad Nick Johnston (92) poses with a teammate after a game at Rutgers University during Johnston’s time as a college punter.

“When I was transferring I was ranked by Kohl’s Kicking as the top punter,” said Johnston. “I thought I would have a good shot to win the punting position at Rutgers, and I liked the proximity to New York City, along with the highly-coveted business school.”

At Rutgers University, he began working towards his Master’s of Financial Analysis. Through his great work ethic in the classroom and on the football field, Nick was inching toward both of his dreams. Johnston’s dream of Wall Street seemed to be right in front of him, while the NFL dream was on the sidelines, until Rutgers held their Pro Day.

“At the Rutgers Pro Day, we had all 32 NFL teams represented,” said Johnston. “I put up a great number for the ‘L’ drill [3-cone drill] and a pretty good 40 time.”

Johnston didn’t have just pretty good numbers, he blew scouts away with his athleticism. Johnston had a 40-yard dash time of 4.60 seconds and completed the ‘L’ drill in 6.8 seconds. He put up numbers faster than most defensive backs and receivers who are supposed to dominate these drills.

“I had a lot of teams ask me if I was going to try out as a receiver because of my speed in the drills,” Johnston added. “Among the teams were the Giants, Lions, Browns, Jets and of course the Patriots — they probably liked me because most of their receivers are small. I haven’t played receiver since my time at Fredonia.”

Johnston did not return to his Hillbillie days and run routes as a receiver, as it was not needed, because the New York Giants extended him an invite to a tryout after seeing him punt.

“I punted pretty well,” said Johnston. “The Giants wanted to bring me in. I had the opportunity to work out in front of their head coach and special teams coordinator, it went well. It was just a great experience to be in an NFL facility and have the opportunity to showcase my abilities.”

In terms of difficulty to make an NFL roster, punter is near the top of the list — especially since every team just carries one on their roster. With the NFL draft happening this past weekend, Johnston knew the likelihood of him getting drafted was low. In the 2019 NFL Draft, only two punters were selected — one was selected in the fourth round by the 49ers and the second was taken by the Patriots in the fifth round.

“Going into the draft I knew I wouldn’t be drafted,” stated Johnston. “But after the draft I have a chance to get signed or invited to a minicamp.”

Johnston has come a long way, from small town Fredonia, all the way to a shot to play in the NFL.

“The intangible skills are what I took from my time at Fredonia,” Johnston said. “I think all the athletes from our area are overlooked, giving you that underdog mentality. If someone has slept on you, you have to use it as fuel to the fire. You have to outwork those top recruits taken over you.”

With the NFL dream being up in the air, Johnston has a pretty great fall back plan. Johnston has already accepted a position as a Valuation Consultant at Deloitte in New York City, fulfilling his dream of working on Wall Street.

“I came to Rutgers to play in the Big-Ten, get an accredited Master’s degree, and ultimately land a job on Wall Street,” stated Johnston. “After a year of hard work, I can say that I have accomplished my goals. Any potential opportunities with the NFL are just an added bonus.”

Shortly, Johnston will find out if he will get the chance to live out a childhood dream of playing in the NFL. But, it’s pretty safe to say, he has come a long way from playing for the Fredonia Hillbillies to competing for a spot in the NFL. With his work ethic, Johnston will likely be successful in whatever path he takes.