Big 22: Catawba Ridge’s Alex Johnson

It’d be fair to say Catawba Ridge senior Alex Johnson is a jack-of-all-trades.

He’s also mastered a lot of them.

Johnson recently won his first heavyweight state championship in wrestling, a sport he’s loved since third grade. Years later, he discovered a love for football too.

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In eighth grade, Johnson said he was leaving wrestling practice to watch his older brother, a former linebacker, on the practice field. The moment the Copperheads’ coach spotted Johnson in the stands, the rest was history.

“He looked at me in the bleachers and said, ‘You’re going to play football one day, (and) you’re going to play for me.”

Johnson replied, “I’m ready.”

Now, he’s among Channel 9’s Big 22 Players to Watch.

The Catawba Ridge edge rusher has since committed to play college football at Boston College, noting the genuine connections he’s made with the Eagles’ coaching staff and the value of their degree.

Johnson said he’s considering a major in finance and has strong interests in pursuing real estate opportunities.

He’s already brainstormed a few options to get a head start.

“What (do) I need an NIL check for if I’m getting free school, you know?” he said. “I’ll probably use that (money), learn how to do real estate, buy a property and then hopefully keep…progressing off of that.”

We’re profiling 22 players every weekday until voting for our five finalists on Sept. 4. Tune into Channel 9 each day to see local stars featured.

Channel 9 hosts Big 22 Media Day for young athletes