SAN FRANCISCO 49ers strike gold with late-round pick Johnson

The tight end has 33 receptions for 281 yards and three touchdowns.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
As 2001 winds down, it's hard to imagine any athlete who has risen higher and faster this year than San Francisco 49ers rookie tight end Eric Johnson.
In last April's NFL draft, the 22-year-old Johnson, who played wide receiver at Yale, was drafted in the seventh round with the 224th pick.
Not many seventh-round picks stick around for the entire NFL season. Even fewer earning starting positions. Don't even calculate how many make an impact on playoff-bound teams.
Johnson, who has been the 49ers' starting tight end since Week 2, certainly has beaten the odds.
"It's been a long road," said Johnson speaking by telephone Wednesday from 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. "But it's been great because I've learned a ton since joining the 49ers. I know I can get better.
"It certainly feels like it was a long time ago" since the draft, said Johnson, who admitted he "wasn't expecting to get drafted.
"Yes, I was watching [the lower rounds of the draft] and I knew there was a chance, but I thought I would have to try out as a free agent."
College standout: At Yale, Johnson caught 182 passes for 2,144 yards and 23 touchdowns. The 49ers saw the Ivy Leaguer as a potential tight end, a position they were in need of help because last year's starter, Greg Clark, has been plagued with a lingering hamstring injury that has idled him this season.
By the 49ers' second minicamp in June, Johnson's stock was on the rise.
"My first few times in there as tight end, I was overmatched," Johnson said. "But in the preseason camp, I was given a lot of time to learn how to hit people. That experience helped push me."
For the 49ers' second game of the season, tight ends coach Tom Batta, a Youngstown native who played on a Warren Harding state championship team before playing at Kent State University, promoted Johnson to starter.
The 49ers' fourth-leading receiver, Johnson has rewarded Batta's faith with 33 receptions for 281 yards and three touchdowns, including a 12-yarder in last Sunday's 21-0 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
That win combined with the New Orleans Saints loss on Monday to the St. Louis Rams clinched a playoff berth for the 49ers (10-3).
"It was pretty cool to realize that we were in, especially in my first year," said Johnson, who watched the Saints-Rams game with punter Jason Baker.
"We congratulated each other," Johnson said, adding that the team reaction was pretty low key.
"Last year's team finished by winning four out of the last six games, so that foreshadowed what was to happen this season," Johnson said.
"We've turned a lot of heads this year and it's been a lot of fun doing it," Johnson said. "At the beginning, some thought were just lucky to win so many games, but that win over the [first-place] Dolphins shows we're a good team."
Good challenge: Johnson said the 49ers don't mind playing three straight games against playoff-bound teams.
"The challenge motivates you to play a great game," Johnson said, "We need these type of games because these games are exactly like what we'll face in the playoffs. The more of these we play, the better."
Johnson credits quarterback Jeff Garcia for a large part of the team's turnaround from last year's 6-10 record.
"He's having an amazing year with his ability to mount comebacks and execute the offense," Johnson said. "Jeff is a playmaker, a guy who will spread it out.
"His favorite target is TO [wide receiver Terrell Owens], but he's shown confidence in throwing to his backs and other receivers."
Johnson said he mostly lines up at tight end, but gets a few plays per game "where I'll split out as a receiver mostly just to go into motion."
The 6-foot-3-inch Johnson said he gained 25 pounds after leaving Yale and weighed 255 pounds in September.
"I'm down to about 250 now," said Johnson, saying that it's harder to lift weights this late in the season "so you lose a little strength.".
Too busy: Johnson, who grew up in Needham, Mass., near Boston, said this will be his first Christmas away from the East Coast, but said he's too busy to notice he won't have snow for the holidays.
"It doesn't matter because I really don't go out that much. Luckily, my parents are coming out for Saturday's Eagles game and staying through Christmas," Johnson said. "I haven't seen much of them lately, so it will be nice spending time with them.
"And I have a few relatives out here, so it's been nice having someone I know around."
So with all he's received this year with an unexpected NFL career, it's not surprising that Johnson isn't expecting much more from Santa under his Christmas tree.
Except one thing.
"We definitely want to get a home playoff game," Johnson said.