Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson: The Best is Yet to Come

Calvin Johnson was by far the most talked about rookie of the 2007 NFL Draft Class before the season began. When the Detroit Lions selected Johnson number two overall, Mel Kiper, Jr. and his beautiful head of hair said that Johnson was the best player on the board and that the Lions should not pass him up.

This came after the tragic selections of WRs Charles Rogers and Mike Williams in years past. But they were history and GM Matt Millen had to get another receiver to go along with Roy Williams to produce one of the top wideout tandems for years to come.

Johnson's modest personality and humble attitude make him a rare commodity among the receivers of the NFL, known for being the players who are the loud-mouth, immature "kids" of the league.

Johnson's natural ability is far from modest, however. He stands at 6'5", runs a 4.3 40-yard dash, and has a vertical leap of 42 inches.

Put those numbers alongside the freakish athletic ability of fellow starting wide receiver Williams, and one may have an argument in the future for best tandem...EVER.

Johnson hurt his back during a loss, albeit a drubbing, to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week Three.

Even though he made a spectacular leaping catch on the play, the original diagnosis was a week-to-week bruise.  Still, Johnson found himself taking the painkiller Vicodin twice a game for much of the season. He regretted not getting healed up and playing through the pain.

"That's what really stopped me. That's really why I couldn't run. It bothered me the whole season. I'd take a little something every week just to get through the game. When you try to push off the ball and stuff, it hurts," stated Johnson during recent offseason activity. 

Although he is not one to make excuses, Johnson believes that with a healed back he'll be twice as good this season.

"Last year, I'd say I could have done twice as good," Johnson said Wednesday. "If the top is 10, I'd say I was a five last year."

Whether or not the Lions will contend next season remains to be seen. But with Calvin Johnson as a major target for Jon Kitna or Drew Stanton, anything is possible.