Standeford started his football career at Monrovia High School in Monrovia, Indiana, near Indianapolis. He was an Indiana All-Star in basketball and football, but chose football as his profession.
His brother, Jake, who was also a multiple sports star in high school, was a wide receiver at Purdue from 2004 to 2007. One season later after becoming the conference career receptions leader, John's teammate, Taylor Stubblefield, set it as a new NCAA record with 325. John was named a First-team-All Big Ten selection in 2002, while being a First-team Academic All-American in 2002 & 2003.
Professional career
Washington Redskins and Indianapolis Colts
Standeford went undrafted in the 2004 NFL draft and was signed by the Washington Redskins. He was soon traded to the Indianapolis Colts, where he played for three seasons under head coach Tony Dungy, mainly on the practice squad. Playing in a handful of preseason games, he never appeared in an official game as a Colt. He was a member of the Indianapolis Colts' Super Bowl XLI team.
Detroit Lions
After playing with the Colts primarily on the practice squad, he was traded to the Detroit Lions where he received some playing time. He appeared in nine games during the 2008 season, starting in four of them. He had 15 receptions for 244 yards. He averaged 16.3 yards per catch with a career long of 36 yards.
Standeford signed a one-year contract with the Lions during the 2009 offseason, and was waived on November 7, 2009.