Johnathan Abram Bio
Johnathan Jauquez Abram is an American professional football safety who has competed in the National Football League since 2019. Drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders, he has built a reputation as a hard-hitting defensive back known for his run support and physicality near the line of scrimmage. Over the course of his career, he has appeared for the Oakland / Las Vegas Raiders, the Green Bay Packers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the New Orleans Saints.
Standing 5 ft 11 in and listed at around 205 lb, Abram plays a brand of safety football built on aggression, tackling in space, and leadership in the secondary. He is a former Third-team All-American and First-team All-SEC selection out of Mississippi State.
Early Life and Background
Johnathan Jauquez Abram was born on October 25, 1996, in Columbia, Mississippi. He grew up in the small southern community and attended East Marion High School, where he played football for the East Marion Eagles. While in high school, he lined up at multiple spots on defense, including safety and linebacker, which helped shape his hybrid playing style.
Coming out of East Marion, Abram was lightly regarded as a recruit, earning a 2-star rating from recruiting services. Despite the modest ranking, his physical tools and on-field production drew attention from several college programs and set the stage for a winding path through three different schools before reaching the NFL.
Path to American Football
Abram committed to the University of Georgia on November 1, 2014, but his freshman year did not unfold as planned. Following his initial season with the Bulldogs, he announced that he would be transferring out of the program. He next landed at Jones College, a junior college in Mississippi, where he re-established himself as a defensive prospect.
His play at Jones was strong enough that Georgia offered him a scholarship to return just months after his departure. After briefly rejoining the Bulldogs, Abram announced on December 16, 2016, that he would spend his final two seasons of college eligibility at Mississippi State. At Mississippi State, he moved into a full-time safety role and was invited to the 2019 Senior Bowl under San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, a milestone appearance that helped him emerge as a legitimate professional prospect.
Johnathan Abram Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
At Mississippi State, Abram quickly established himself as one of the conference’s most productive defensive backs. During his senior season, he led the team with 93 tackles, a total that highlighted his ability to play in the box and contribute against both the run and the pass.
His play earned him First-team All-SEC honors from the media and a Third-team All-American nod. Following the conclusion of his college career, his invitation to the Senior Bowl gave him one of the premier pre-draft stages to test himself against top senior talent from across the country.
Oakland / Las Vegas Raiders (2019–2022)
The Oakland Raiders selected Abram in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, taking him 27th overall. The pick was the first-round selection acquired from the Dallas Cowboys in the October 2018 Amari Cooper trade, signaling the Raiders’ belief in his long-term potential as a tone-setter in their secondary.
Abram made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos, recording 5 tackles in a 24–16 win. The season was quickly disrupted when he tore his rotator cuff and labrum in that game, an injury that sent him to injured reserve on September 13, 2019, and forced him to miss the remainder of his rookie year.
He returned in Week 1 of the following season against the Carolina Panthers and immediately made an impact, posting a team-high 13 tackles in a 34–30 win. In Week 3 against the New England Patriots, Abram notched his first career interception, picking off a pass from Cam Newton in a 36–20 loss. The 2021 season saw him start 14 games and finish with a career-high 116 tackles, second on the team, along with one interception. On April 29, 2022, the Raiders declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, and he was waived on November 8, 2022.
Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks (2022)
On November 10, 2022, the Green Bay Packers claimed Abram off waivers. His time in Green Bay was brief, as the Packers waived him on November 29, ending a stretch of less than three weeks with the organization.
The Seattle Seahawks claimed Abram off waivers on November 30, 2022. Seattle did not re-sign him after the season concluded, making him a free agent heading into the next league year.
New Orleans Saints (2023–2024)
On March 22, 2023, Abram signed with the New Orleans Saints as he looked to find a longer-term home for his career. He was waived during final roster cuts on August 29 and re-signed to the practice squad, before being promoted to the active roster on November 30.
In Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Abram delivered one of his most complete performances in a Saints uniform, finishing with one interception off Baker Mayfield, one forced fumble, one pass deflection, and five tackles. On March 20, 2024, he re-signed with New Orleans. He was cut during final roster cuts on August 27 and re-signed to the practice squad on August 28, then released on October 22.
Driving Style and Strengths
Abram is at his best when he can read run plays quickly and trigger downhill into the box. His strengths include open-field tackling, physicality at the line of scrimmage, and the kind of aggressive demeanor that can shift momentum on a single snap. While coverage has been a noted area for development, his run-defense and tackling reliability have remained central to his role on every team he has joined.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments in Abram’s career include his first-round selection in 2019, his return from a major shoulder injury to post 13 tackles in his first game back, and his first career interception off Cam Newton. He has also recorded 5 career interceptions, 311 total tackles, 17 pass deflections, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble through his NFL seasons.
Johnathan Abram Career Wins
While a safety’s impact is rarely measured in wins alone, Abram has contributed to several team victories throughout his NFL career, including a Week 1 debut win over the Denver Broncos, a 34–30 win over the Carolina Panthers in his first game back from injury, and a Week 17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a member of the Saints.
NFL Career Highlights
Through the 2024 season, Abram has recorded 311 total tackles, 5 interceptions, 17 pass deflections, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble. His career-high 116-tackle season came in 2021 with the Raiders, when he finished second on the team in stops and started 14 games. His most recent win came as part of the Saints’ late-season push in 2023.
Johnathan Abram Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public details about Abram’s parents and extended family remain limited, and he has not publicly shared extensive background on a multi-generational sports lineage. His path into football was shaped largely by his high school and college coaches in Mississippi.
Personal Life
Abram was raised in Columbia, Mississippi, and has largely kept his personal life out of the public eye. There is no widely confirmed public information about a spouse or children, and he has focused public attention on his career and community ties.
2025 Season Outlook
As of the 2025 offseason, Abram is a veteran safety coming off a 2024 campaign in which he was waived during final roster cuts, re-signed to the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad, and later released in October. That pattern suggests he will head into 2025 looking to earn a defined role, whether in New Orleans or with another club that values his run-defense skill set.
At age 28 and with 311 career tackles to his name, he still has the resume of an early-first-round pick and the physical profile of a starting-caliber strong safety. How he fits into a team’s 2025 defensive scheme, and whether he can stabilize his role after several late-career moves, will likely define his next chapter.