Buccaneers double down on Gophers, select Tyler Johnson in fifth round

Arguably the best wide receiver in the history of the Minnesota Gophers football program has found a home in the NFL.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers used a fifth-round pick (No. 161 overall) to select Tyler Johnson in the 2020 NFL draft.

In the second round (45th overall, Tampa Bay also selected Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who was Johnson’s teammate for four years with the Gophers.

Johnson joins a talented receiving corps with the Buccaneers, who recently signed future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady and traded for tight end Rob Gronkowski.

The Buccaneers also had two 1,000-yard receivers last season in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.

The Minneapolis, Minn., native became the Gophers’ all-time career leader in receiving yards (3,305), receiving touchdowns (33) and 100-yard games (16).

Johnson had his best campaign as a senior in 2019. The 6-foot-2 receiver hauled in 86 receptions for 1,318 yards and 13 touchdowns while guiding the Gophers to 11 wins under head coach P.J. Fleck.