This past weekend, with the 15^th pick of the sixth round in the NFL 2013 draft, the New Orleans Saints picked Tarleton State University’s defensive end Rufus Johnson. He is the second Tarleton player to be selected in the NFL draft, the first being James Dearth in 1999, who was the 191^st overall pick for the Cleveland Browns.

Johnson, who began playing for Tarleton in the fall of 2011 as a transfer from Kilgore Junior College, started making moves as soon as he stepped on the field by leading the team and finishing just second in the Lone Star Conference with 15.5 tackles for loss. In his senior season with the Texans, Johnson recorded 50 tackles, with 28 of them being solo tackles. Johnson also earned Defensive Linemen of the year, and ranked eighth in the nation for tackles for loss, averaging 2.06 yards a game.

When asked about being drafted, Johnson said, “All I could think about was my family when I received the call from the Saints organization. This is what I have been playing for and training for my whole life. This is truly a blessing and I am proud to be a Saint.”

Johnson reports to the Saints’ rookie training camp on May 9.