Arizona recruit first ever openly gay scholarship player in major college football history

By ASSOCIATED PRESS, Source The DailyMail

A University of Arizona recruit is set to become the first openly gay scholarship player in major-college football history.

My-King Johnson, who has committed to play for the University of Arizona this fall, says he came out to friends and family at age 12.

‘I do feel like when I say that (I’m gay), it can put a target on my back. But whatever,’ the 17-year-old told the Arizona Daily Star.

‘I’m a very honest person. I just don’t see how I could be living an honest, truthful life and have that in the background.’

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end starred at Tempe High School.

Johnson was a highly-regarded recruit who signed with the home-state Wildcats after verbally committing to Pac-12 Conference rival UCLA.

The 17-year-old said he came out to Wildcats coaches during the recruitment process.

Johnson said he felt encouraged by the support after telling Arizona defensive line coach Vincent Amey he was gay.

He said the coach simply said: ‘We want you to be a Wildcat.’

Only a handful of college football players before him have come out publicly while still playing.

Former Missouri defensive end Michael Sam announced he was gay in February 2014, about a month after completing his college career.

Kyle Kurdziolek, a linebacker at NAIA program St. Francis (Illinois) told OutSports this month he’s gay.

Chip Sarafin, a walk-on offensive lineman at Arizona State at the time, told Compete magazine in the summer of 2014 that he’s gay.