Johnathan Calvin

CAREER: Solid defensive end who is poised to have a big senior season … Made an immediate impact in his first season after playing two years in junior college … Was dominant in the 2016 spring game with a game-high four sacks and eight total tackles … Officially enrolled early at MSU in January 2015 … Committed to Mississippi State in July 2014 … Played in 13 games.

2015 JUNIOR SEASON: Contributed in his first year, playing in 13 games and starting one contest (Belk Bowl) … Finished with 27 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries … Third on the squad in quarterback hurries and sixth in tackles for loss … Collected four tackles in the Northwestern State win (9/19), including one tackle for loss and half a sack … Credited with his first two career solo tackles in the win at No. 25 Auburn (9/26) … Tallied a sack and a career-high six tackles at No. 14 Texas A&M (10/3) … Totaled four tackles and a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss vs. Troy (10/10) … Registered four tackles and two quarterback hurries in the Louisiana Tech home win (10/17) …
Had a tackle for loss in both the victories against Kentucky (10/24) and Missouri (11/5) … Got his first start against NC State in the Belk Bowl (12/30) and gave QB Jacoby Brissett fits early with two hurries.

JUNIOR COLLEGE: A three-star defensive end by ESPN, Scout, Rivals and 247Sports … Suited up at defensive end for two years at Copiah-Lincoln Community College for head coach Glenn Davis … Was ranked the fifth-best junior college defensive end in the country by Rivals.com and the 48th-overall junior college player by 247Sports … Rated a three-star defensive end by ESPN, Scout, Rivals and 247Sports … Finished the 2014 season with 46 tackles, 5.5 sacks, six tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in helping the Wolves earn an appearance in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) Championship Game … Tallied 29 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and one interception en route to becoming a MACJC First-Team All-Conference honoree as a freshman in 2013.

HIGH SCHOOL: Transferred from Provine High School to Murrah High School for his last two years as a prep athlete … As a senior, totaled 47 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, two interceptions and one sack … Finished with 58 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks as a junior in his first season playing football … Began his high school sports career as a basketball player at Provine … A Murrah teammate of fellow Bulldog Malik Dear.

PERSONAL: Born Jonathan Jamaal Calvin on Nov. 28, 1993 … Parents are Marlenn and Telly … Has two siblings – Terrell and Alexis … Majoring in interdisciplinary studies … Twitter handle is @CalvinJohnathan.

CALVIN’S CAREER HIGHS:
Tackles: 6, at Texas A&M (10-3-15)
Tackles For Loss: 1.5, vs. Troy (10-10-15)
Sacks: 1.0, at Texas A&M (10-3-15)

The main focus in athletics for Calvin growing up was on the hardwood of a basketball court rather than the grass and chalked sidelines of the gridiron. He switched schools going from Provine High School to Murrah High School for his last two years as a prep athlete and voided his senior season and suited up at defensive end for two years at Copiah-Lincoln Community College for head coach Glenn Davis.

Calvin quickly caught the attention of SEC school’s that included LSU and Alabama, but he always wanted to chance to play for Mississippi State. Growing up in Jackson, MS and having a five year old son helped factor into becoming a Bulldog.

“Last spring I was 278 or 280 and ran like a 4.68,” Calvin said when discussing his speed. Currently weighing roughly between 272 and 275, he is excited to get to training in Atlanta, Georgia with Chuck Smith NFL Draft guru of pass rushing.

That combination of speed and quickness along with the development of his pass rushing skills are going to be the bedrock of his NFL Draft value. Invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, scouting departments are well aware of his abilities and sharing their thoughts on what he needs to work on will help in the coming months.

The hype surrounding Calvin is his production leap in just two seasons at Mississippi State. He recorded 5.5 tackles for loss his junior season along with 1.5 sacks. He doubled his tackles for loss in 2016 with 11.5 and recorded a whopping 7 sacks and led the Bulldogs in both categories his senior season. His last snap as a college player, Calvin came up big, with a blocked kicked against Miami (Ohio) to help preserve a 17-16 victory in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

Solidly built with long arms, Calvin shows a good burst and possesses a good variety of pass rushing moves. Getting off the snap he displays violent hands that help transition him into his spin move to back into quarterbacks. Can stand up or come off edge with hand in the dirt. Tough-worker like mentality who prides himself on punching the clock everyday and getting after it and does a decent job in space to close and attack. Big hitter who can force turnovers with knack for being near the action. Calvin is a tad raw but has shown in a short amount of time his ability to settle in and quickly succeed.