Former Oklahoma Sooners legend joins prestigious club only given to the NFL's best of the best
A former Oklahoma Sooners great made history and joined a prestigious list of NFL players with his latest honor
One of the most underappreciated players of the Bob Stoops era at the University of Oklahoma was offensive tackle Lane Johnson. Johnson, a former quarterback turned tight end turned offensive tackle, started at both left and right tackle in the early 2010s for the Sooners, earning an All-American nod from CBS Sports and a Second-team All-Big 12 in 2012.
Despite little acclaim and experience, Johnson's athleticism and technique stood out immediately to NFL evaluators. After being invited to the Senior Bowl in 2013, he was drafted fourth overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2013 NFL Draft and hasn't looked back since.
After a decade of dominance at right tackle, Johnson is being recognized for his elite ability and talent. On Monday, EA Sports officially announced that Johnson will be joining the prestigious "99 Club" as one of the few players every year to earn a 99 overall rating in the score (i.e. the best in the game).
Johnson will be joined by fellow Eagle Saquon Barkley, as well as Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, and Myles Garrett.
This is tremendous recognition for Johnson, as he now becomes just the second offensive lineman to everearn a 99 overall rating in Madden. Interestingly enough, the first to ever do it was another former Sooner in Trent Williams. That's a pipeline worth boasting about for the Sooners while recruiting.
Johnson has long been one of the best right tackles in the NFL, but his work this past season as the guiding presence and leader of the Super Bowl champion Eagles propelled him to near-consensus as the top offensive lineman in the entire league.
At the rate his career is progressing, it feels almost certain that Johnson will join fellow Sooners like Lee Roy Selmon and Tommy McDonald in the NFL's Hall of Fame. The bigger question now is: Will he be a first-ballot member?
It's hard to argue against him.
