Paris Johnson Junior,
the 6th overall pick selected
by the Arizona Cardinals.
Paris, First off, congratulatio.
And I got to ask.
I'm sure this is a moment you've
dreamt of pretty much your entire life.
When you got that call,
when your name was called,
How do you describe that?
I mean, it felt like a dream,
you know what I mean?
Like, I was just holding that
phone so tight in my ear to make
sure I heard every single word
I was coming out of their mouth.
Like, I I I couldn't believe it.
You know, I felt like I was.
You know, it's some I've been waiting
for since I was five years old,
you know, So I mean,
for me to be a Cardinal is insa.
You know,
your father was an Arizona Card.
You're now in Arizona Cardinal.
Really come in full circle.
How does that make you feel,
man? I mean, I play with a lot of pride,
you know what I mean?
And to be able to represent this name
and in the franchise for the second time,
you know, I wanted to mean something.
You know what I mean? I want to.
I want to be a. Franchise guy h.
I don't want to be in for a year
and for your two years now.
You know what I mean?
I want to leave a mark here.
You know I like Caribbean Arizona. And
you mentioned that you have
always wanted to be in Arizona.
Cardinal. Now that you are what
are you looking forward to the
most to to wrap those colors.
I think just getting in there and just
starting to look to learn the room and
then starting hanging around the guys.
You know I'm gonna get know the
guys I'm gonna play next to.
I want to handle with Kyler.
You know I want to. I want to.
I want to know my offense.
I understand my offense.
Spend as much time in facility.
I think that just excites me
because it's it's a new chapter,
so the work begins again.
It's a new system to get in the
system and it was just being th,
just being that that that facily
was just had all that juice in there.
I mean, it's hype,
but how do you not come in
there for smaller effects?
Everyone's in there hype
and the Cardinals desperately
need a protective force like
yourself and you get to protect,
Kyler 1, Kyler, Murray.
What does that mean to you
knowing that you get us protect
and be the brick wall for such
a dynamic quarterback in Murray?
I mean that's what you want, you know?
You want to play with an establd
quarterback and him, I mean, he's the,
I mean, he extends plays with hs
feet and with his and with his
ability and with his, his hustl,
unlike any other quarterback in the game.
You know what I mean?
Like, you watch his house,
you watch his fight. That's all.
That's all. That's all you want.
So that's all you want.
A quarterback is from the fight.
You know, I mean cuz I'm gonna fight for you,
but they know you're back there fighting.
You're scratching and calling.
That's everything you like.
You play with that edge.
The whole offense plays with the
edge and the quarterback does.
For
those that might not be well
aware of your game, what are
you bringing to this franchise?
Violence. That's how I play
with violence and finish.
That's how I do it.
That's how I do it. I'm
so happy for you, bro. Man, Leto
man. Greatness right here.
Yeah. What do you think about
these new jerseys?
Super cool, man. I saw, I saw.
I was Instagram like maybe
like a week ago. I thought.
I thought these were sick, man.
So for this would be my
new official jerseys.
Awesome. That's awesome.
I do have one question for you.
Arizona. In the summers,
it gets pretty hot.
It gets up to 120 degrees.
Are you ready to bear
those Arizona summers? I'm
ready to go. I'm going to pack my shorts.
Going to pack my sort sheet,
my sort short sleeve shirts and
some sunscreen. You know, Paris
Johnson Junior, now in Arizona,
Cardinal. How does that feel?
Man, This is what,
like this is what always wanted.
I mean, what better team to go .
Where my dad played And now I'm here.
Like, come on now.
Like, you know I'm right.
I rode past the apartments on m,
my, my, my, my top 30 visit.
And I saw his apartment,
but I took a picture of my mom.
These parms are kind of cool on the outside.
I like the rooftops.
It's right next to the facility.
She sends me back a picture and she was like,
those are the same condos I stad
in when your dad played in ther,
out all the condos.
I took a picture of those like,
I'm like, bro, what?
Like, you know what I mean?
Like the coincidence is adding ,
but I meant to be here,
you know?
It's funny how it all comes full
circle and it all works out.
My last question for you.
How certain were you that you
would be drafted by the Arizona
Cardinals especially when
they moved down to pick #12.
Did you lose a little bit of hoe
or what were your thoughts leadg
up to your name being called?
At first I was 100% know when
I was going to be a Cardinal.
But then but then when that
trade happened back to 12.
I know I probably,
I I'm without a doubt probably wasn't
going to get probably wasn't gog
to be a Cardinal and train back
to 12 with the teams that probay
weren't going to pass my tackle.
You know what I mean?
So when I got that phone call I was like.
I thought was alliance, You kno,
when I got that phone call, it was Carl.
So I was like, was it Arizona area code?
What? No.
I got so so they can call my ph.
They called the draft phone.
That's right next to the, you k,
the old school where the classic way,
you know what I mean?
So I heard that thing ring and e
I thought I was tripping.
And then I rang again. I
dove the phone. I'm like insane, you know. So
when you got to celebrate with your family,
how would you describe those emotions
again, a moment you've waited fr
forever? How would you describe that,
man? Just a static, you know, I think for
me always felt like when I got drafted,
I was just going to come to tea.
But I think the surprise of it because one,
it was off the draft phone.
Two was from a trade up.
Three, I just came from the bathroom.
Four, I might have just said th,
but you know, my dad was calledo
be a Cardinal 20 some years ago.
And I get the same freaking call
and he reminds me of what I and.
Monty reminds me of what I told.
Until I'm finished.
When I started here, I'm on the phone.
Call me like, whoa, what?
I Come on. I was hype.
I was ready to take some kicks.
I was ready to punch some stuff.
I was ready to go. You know what I mean?
I was hype. That's how I felt.
The facility with the energy that going on.
So for me to be able to do that
again it's just and saying to he
me hype on the phone the whole .
I'm screaming on the phone.
Everybody knows. Good pick.
I was coming. I was going, I was hype.
You know,
as you should be.
The universe works in very
mysterious and beautiful ways.
Paris Johnson Junior.
Your newest Arizona cardinal.
We appreciate the time.
Appreciate it. Thank you.