Two of the fastest and most explosive offensive players in college football in 2007 – East Carolina All-American running back Chris Johnson and New Mexico receiver Marcus Smith will play in the 2008 Senior Bowl contest.

Photo - East Carolina running back Chris Johnson

The Senior Bowl 2008 continues to announce new player additions weekly as they assemble the best college talent for the nation’s premier All-star game. Two of the nation’s fastest and most explosive offensive performers – East Carolina All-American running back/kick returner Chris Johnson and New Mexico’s All-MWC wide receiver Marcus Smith will attend the 2008 Under Armour Senior Bowl, officials announced just prior to Christmas. Both players were highly recommended and on our list of top senior prospects for the NFL Draft ’08.
Chris Johnson ranks as the nation’s active leader in career all-purpose yardage and kickoff return yardage. He leads Conference USA in kickoff return average at 28.5 per game, and has set or tied 11 school records and two CUSA marks for kickoff returns and KOR yardage during the season. Johnson combines tremendous breakaway speed, quickness and elusiveness that has enabled him to become one of the top senior running back prospects in this year’s draft. He has rushed for 1,200 yards and 16 TDs, caught 34 passes for 496 yards and 5 more TDs, and returned 30 kickoffs for 856 yards and a TD to account for 2,552 all-purpose yards during the regular season. In the EC huge bowl win over Boise St., he was instrumental in their 41-38 victory over highly ranked Boise St. Johnson ran for 223 yards, caught three passes for 32 yards and returned six kickoffs for 153 yards. Over his senior season, he also had the top three all-purpose yardage performances in college football this season, topped by a 408 yard effort vs Memphis that saw him rush for 301 yards. The 5-11, 200 lb. athlete was a 1st team All-CUSA selection as both a running back and kick returner this season and completed his career with over 6,000 all-purpose yards. We scouted him since his junior season at EC and he has been one of our premier playmakers despite little national attention. We have ranked him in the top five running backs and his athleticism could move him up with a strong week at the Senior Bowl and an expected big workout at the NFL Combine.
Marcus Smith enjoyed a spectacular senior season, leading the Mountain West Conference in both catches with 86 and receiving yards with 1,039 to earn 1st team All-MWC honors.
After receiving his Senior Bowl invite, Smith commented, “I just want to go out there and play well and represent New Mexico football in a big time game. We've had quite a bit of recent success in the Senior Bowl with Brian Urlacher, Ryan Cook and Hank Baskett, who are all in the NFL right now, and I want to carry on that legacy." He broke the NM season reception record of former Senior Bowler Terrence Mathis’ of 88 set in 1989 in the Lobos bowl win over Nevada. He is a 6’2” 215 lb. athlete with blazing speed, in addition to being a fine kick returner. An outstanding sprinter who also competed on New Mexico’s track team, he and former USC Heisman Trophy winner and current New Orleans Saints star running back Reggie Bush were the top sprinters in the San Diego area during their prep careers, with each earning head-to-head victories over the other in their track rivalry.
The 59th annual Under Armour Senior Bowl will be played on January 26, 2008, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. Kickoff is at 3:00 p.m. (CST).

The Senior Bowl website is www.seniorbowl.com