Two Pirates Ink NFL Free Agent Deals

San Diego Chargers | Dallas Cowboys

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Two former East Carolina University football players in wide receiver Jaylen Johnson (San Diego Chargers) and safety Julius Wood (Dallas Cowboys) have signed free agent contracts according to each National Football League organization.

JOHNSON'S CAREER NOTES: Four-time letterwinner (East Carolina-2, Georgia-2) ... Appeared in 48 career games (22/East Carolina, 26/Georgia) … Caught 76 career passes for 855 yards (11.3 ypr) … Scored six touchdowns – all at East Carolina … Tallied 843 all-purpose yards (six rush, 855 rcv, -18 kor).

JOHNSON'S 2023 SEASON: Started 11 of 12 games during final year in the program … Logged 627 snaps (594 offense, 33 special teams) … Caught 45 passes for 466 yards (10.4 ypr) ranking second among Pirate pass catchers … Scored a pair of touchdowns (UTSA, Tulsa) tying Shane Calhoun for the team lead … Caught a season-high eight passes for a career-best 105 yards at UTSA … Hauled down at least two receptions in all 12 games … Targeted 80 times on the year making 45 catches (56.3 pct.) … Led the squad in yards after the catch with 268 … Caught four or more passes in a game five times … Registered 30 more yards receiving in a contest on seven occasions … Longest career reception of the season came at Appalachian State (39 yards) … Named Fourth-Team Preseason All-AAC selection by Athlon Sports ... Preseason First-Team Honorable Mention by College Football Network (WR/PR) ... Named to the East-West Shrine Bowl Preseason Watch List.

WOOD'S CAREER NOTES: Three-year letterwinner for the Pirates … Appeared in 37 career games making 24 starts – all consecutive to close out his career … Booked 189 tackles (82 solo) … Led the team in tackles two-straight seasons (87 in 2022, 86 in 2023) … Tallied 5.5 TFLs (-8 yards) …. Intercepted four passes (2 in 2022, 2 in 2023) returning one for a touchdown at Memphis … Forced three career fumbles … Credited with eight pass breakups … Registered at least one tackle in 33 of 37 career contests (multiple 29 times).

WOOD'S 2023 SEASON: Named team co-captain … Earned First-Team All-American Athletic Conference honor by the leagues head coaches … Also garnered All-AAC accolades from Phil Steele Magazine (first team), Sports Info Solutions (first team) and College Football News (honorable mention) … Started all 12 games for the Pirates … Logged 710 total snaps (651 defense, 59 special teams) … Led the club for the second consecutive season in total tackles … Tallied 86 stops (40 solo) … Picked off a team-high two passes for 29 return yards … Added 3.0 TFLs (-4 yards) to go along with one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry … Logged three or more tackles in all 12 games (double digit stops three times) … Tied career-high in tackles (11) at UTSA … Also had ten stops against Appalachian State and Charlotte … Credited with TFLs against Marshall (0.5/-1 yard), Rice (1.0/-1), Charlotte (0.5/0 yards), UTSA (0.5/-1) and Navy (0.5/-1) … Picked off passes against Charlotte (29 yards) and Florida Atlantic (0 yards) … Credited with a quarterback hurry at Appalachian State and a pass breakup against Rice … Named 2023 Preseason Second-Team All-AAC by Phil Steele Magazine and a Third-Team All-AAC selection by Athlon Sports ... Named 2023 Preseason Second-Team All-AAC by College Football Network.

Additional rookie free agent announcements which involve former Pirates will be released once officially confirmed by their respective NFL teams.

Players Mentioned

Shane Calhoun

Jaylen Johnson

Julius Wood

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