Florida Cornerback Dijon Johnson Faces Felony Charges After Weekend Arrest

TAMPA, Fla. — Dijon Johnson, a 21-year-old cornerback for the University of Florida Gators football team, was arrested over the weekend and faces felony charges including possession of a firearm. Johnson’s arrest occurred Friday night after police pulled over his car for running a stop signal in downtown Tampa.

Officers detected a strong odor of burned marijuana during the traffic stop, prompting them to remove Johnson from the vehicle after he was reportedly argumentative and refused to exit. A subsequent search of the vehicle discovered marijuana and 8 grams of synthetic marijuana in a backpack. Additionally, a loaded Glock 19 handgun with 17 rounds was found in the car. According to the Hillsborough County criminal report, the firearm charge is classified as a second-degree felony.

Johnson faces multiple charges, including a third-degree felony for possession of synthetic marijuana, and two misdemeanors for possession of cannabis (less than 20 grams) and resisting arrest without violence. Following the incident, Johnson was booked early Saturday morning and released later that night after posting an $8,500 surety bond.

His attorney Tim Taylor confirmed that Johnson pleaded not guilty to all charges and will release a statement soon. Gators head coach Billy Napier issued a statement acknowledging awareness of the situation and noted the program will cooperate with the legal proceedings.

Johnson, a junior measuring 6 feet 1 inch and weighing 196 pounds, had a significant role in the previous season, recording 27 tackles and two pass breakups.