KJ #19

Kameron Johnson

Wide Receiver · Barton

The first player in Barton College football history to sign an NFL contract, now a returner and depth receiver in Tampa Bay.

Kameron Johnson's path to the NFL ran through a Division II program that had not fielded a football team in 70 years until his freshman class arrived. Undrafted out of Barton College, Johnson made the Buccaneers as a return specialist and has stuck on the roster for three seasons on the strength of his special-teams value.

★ First Barton College player to sign an NFL contract

★ Two-time South Atlantic Conference honoree at Barton

★ Made Tampa Bay's roster as an undrafted free agent in 2024

★ Primary kickoff and punt returner for the Buccaneers in 2025

Path to the league

Johnson had zero college offers out of Northern Nash High School before landing at Barton College, part of the program's first recruiting class as it revived football after a seven-decade absence. He was a two-time South Atlantic Conference honoree and led Barton in catches, yards, and touchdowns as a senior before signing with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2024, becoming the first Barton player ever to sign with an NFL team.

Career highlights

Johnson made the Buccaneers' roster as an undrafted rookie in 2024, an unlikely outcome for a player from such a small program, and has held onto a job in Tampa Bay largely through his work as a kickoff and punt returner. He has appeared in every game across his three NFL seasons.

2025 season recap

Johnson caught 4 of 7 targets for 64 yards and a touchdown in 2025 while serving primarily as Tampa Bay's return man, piling up 685 kickoff-return yards and 291 punt-return yards over 17 games. His receiving chances came mostly in Week 6 against San Francisco when injuries opened up snaps at receiver, and his offensive role shrank again once the position group got healthy.