Vante Smith-Johnson

Height:
5-10
Weight:
185
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Fresno, CA
High School:
Edison HS

After backing up Asa Jackson at boundary cornerback in 2011, started all 12 games as a junior last fall and is expected to fill the same role as a senior, backed up by Kevin Britt and Dominique Love.

2012 -- Earned 46 total tackles in a dozen games as a junior, including 27 solo stops, on his way to All-Big Sky Conference honorable mention praise ... season-high seven tackles against Weber State and also made six stops against both UC Davis and Idaho State ... 1.5 tackles for lost yardage in Wyoming contest ... also had four pass breakups for season, including two in Idaho State game ... registered two tackles and a pass breakup in 2013 Spring Game.

2011 -- Played in 10 games with one start against South Dakota as a sophomore ... recorded 30 total tackles (21 solo), including career-high nine tackles against South Dakota State ... also made six tackles against Northern Illinois and five each against Montana and Central Oklahoma ... five pass breakups for season -- one in each of five games ... one tackle in 2012 Spring Game.

2010 -- Played in final six games of true freshman season in the defensive secondary and recorded three tackles, all solo ... two tackles against Saint Francis (Pa.) and one more against South Dakota ... activated off redshirt list following injuries to others in the secondary and earned valuable playing experience ... secured three tackles in 2011 Spring Game.

High School -- A football, basketball and track and field athlete, Johnson earned defensive back of the year and student-athlete of the year honors as a senior at Edison High School in Fresno ... first-team All-County/Metro League defensive back ... helped head coach Tim McDonalds Tigers to a 10-4 overall record, 3-2 County/Metro League mark for a second-place tie and the CIF-Central Section Division II championship ... rushed for 142 yards on just five carries and three touchdowns in a win over Clovis North and was named the team’s student-athlete of the year and defensive back of the year ... played his junior season of football at Grant High School in Sacramento and helped Pacers of head coach Mike Alberghini to perfect 14-0 mark, first place in the Metropolitan League and the CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section Division II title ... Grant also went on to beat Long Beach Poly 25-20 in the state open division championship game at the Home Depot Center in Carson ... member of Advance Placement Hall of Fame at Grant High.

Personal -- Son of Darnel Johnson and Bernadette Smith-Vance ... four brothers, Lawrence Dorrough, Kevin Vance, Jay Jay Vance and Yaj Vance, and two sisters, Vontaisa Smith-Johnson (a twin of Vante) and Joy Vance ... was mute until age 5 or 6 and was born feet first ... born Feb. 23, 1997, in Fresno, Calif. ... majors in construction management.