He was selected by the Giants in the third round of the 1985 NFL draft after playing college football at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
[1] He joined the Tar Heels as a defensive lineman but ended up spending his first two seasons as a backup center.
[2] He then moved to defensive tackle as a junior before switching back to center partway through his senior year.
[2] Johnston was selected by the New York Giants in the third round, with the 73rd overall pick, of the 1985 NFL draft.
[3] Johnston also appeared in two playoff games that season, including the victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI.