Zion Johnson is an American football guard who shall play for the Los Angeles Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft by the Chargers as the 17th overall pick. 

Johnson was born on November 18th, 1999 in Bowie, Maryland where he grew up, before moving to Upper Marlboro where he attended Riverdale Baptist School where he started playing football, as well as golf. 

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He started his collegiate football career in Davidson, North Carolina playing for the Davidson Wildcats. He played every single game for the Wildcats in his freshman and sophomore years, featuring for the Wildcats 22 times in this span, with 19 of them as a starter. 

However, for all of this experience, Johnson realised he needed a step up to challenge himself further and raise his game, and this is what instigated a move to Boston College at the end of his sophomore year to play for the Boston College Eagles. That year, despite making just 7 starts of the 13 games he played, his game caught the attention of ACC coaches nevertheless, and they named him second-team all-conference at left guard. He was also named the conference Offensive Lineman of the Week thrice in his junior year. 

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In 2020 in the pandemic-affected season, he was moved to left tackle, and was also named team captain, starting all 11 games for the Eagles. For the 2021 season, while he was eligible to register for the Draft, Johnson chose to instead play an extra year at Boston College, and his decision was validated- he moved back to his preferred position as guard and started 12 games that year, gaining national notice with his performances- as he earned first-team Associated Press All-American and all-conference accolades that year. 

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Johnson plays with a low centre of gravity, and his stout, compact frame and thick limbs allow him to excel in his physical, almost ‘brute force’ playing style. Moreover, he has been a two-time team captain, and this is despite the fact that he was a 0-start recruit coming out of high school- Davidson was the only offer he had at the start of his college career. This not only demonstrates his natural leadership qualities, but also an innate fighting spirit, which he will need plenty of to survive and thrive in the NFL.