EAGAN, Minn. – Vikings wide receiver Bisi Johnson received a unique text message from a family member just after he was drafted in the seventh round.
Your dreams came true, AND my dreams came true.
The text came from Johnson's cousin, Tyler O'Deen, an Iowa native and lifelong Vikings fan.
"I got drafted, and I got drafted by his Vikings – he was really happy about that," Johnson said. "A lot of my family members on my mom's side are Vikings fans."
Feeling comfortable with and connected to a neighboring state has made the transition from Colorado State to the NFL a bit easier for Johnson, who also feels like the organization as a whole is a good fit.
The Vikings emphasis on filling the locker room with high-character players, Johnson said, has been evident since day one.
"I think it's just the guys they brought in," Johnson said. "All of them … are just quality dudes. There's nothing really bad about them. This is a cool place.
"It's not too much of a culture shock," he added.
Johnson is especially glad to be learning from veteran players who have quickly come alongside him, including Minnesota's top two receivers.
"[Adam] Thielen, [Stefon] Diggs, they're great role models. You can learn a lot from them in terms of route running," he said. "I know there's a lot more to come from them."
Also impressive to Johnson was the way quarterback Kirk Cousins embraced an opportunity to get to know younger players during the three days of Verizon Vikings Training Camp prior to the full team's arrival.
"It just shows his leadership. For us younger guys, he's definitely someone we look up to," Johnson said. "You see that veteran quarterback … he's out here with us rookies, and you don't see that often."
From the time he arrived in Minnesota for rookie minicamp until now, Johnson has been studying the playbook and working on learning a new system. He appreciates the even-keel demeanors of Offensive Coordinator Kevin Stefanski and wide receivers coach Drew Petzing, and he's better and better on the field.
"I'm confident," Johnson said, "I knew [the playbook] was going to be the biggest part in terms of moving up to the next level, and I've definitely focused on that a lot."
Here are three other topics Johnson discussed with Vikings.com:
1. What are your favorite movies? Or, how about your favorite genre?
(Laughing) "I'm a rom-com guy."
2. Outside of your football career, what is one thing on your bucket list?
"Go to Dubai. … I've done a little bit of traveling outside the country. I've been to Nigeria, because that's where my dad's from. I've been to Mexico, London [and] the Dominican [Republic]. Dubai is definitely on the list."
3. If you could spend a day with any (non-NFL) notable person, who would it be?
"Probably LeBron James. He's just a good dude. He gets involved not only with, obviously, basketball and basketball fans but things outside of that, like the school that he built. He's a good dude to learn from."
