UGA football roster: Jermaine Johnson an overwhelming force off the edge

UGA football has a fantastic defense, but the pass rush has been lacking recently. Jermaine Johnson is a player who can reverse the fortune in that regard.

Nolan Smith wasn’t the only No. 1 overall player UGA football signed in the 2019 class. The Bulldogs also brought in Jermaine Johnson, the No. 1 junior college player in the nation.

Johnson began living up to that billing as the season progressed, earning playing time after a few impressive performances late in games during blowouts. By seasons end, Johnson had become one of Georgia’s most consistent pass rushers and even ended the season with 2.5 sacks.

His biggest play of the 2019 season wasn’t a sack, but it did involve the quarterback. With Georgia leading Auburn 7-0 late in the first half, and with the Tigers driving into Bulldog territory, Johnson forced a fumble on a carry by Bo Nix. The Bulldogs recovered to end Auburn’s drive.

At 6-5, 240 lbs. Johnson is a prototypical edge-rushing linebacker. He has a pair of long arms used to avoid blockers around the edge and to catch quarterbacks before they can get away. If Johnson wraps a ball carrier up, they’re not breaking the tackle. And just when they think they’ve eluded Johnson, his arms are long enough to grab and slow down anyone.

Though the skills that separate Johnson from other linebackers with ideal size is his speed. Johnson has a great jump off the line of scrimmage and is fast enough to zoom past offensive tackles. With his impressive muscle mass, he can quickly convert that speed into a powerful bull rush if needed to.

Sacks have been the only thing really missing from Georgia’s defense recently. As Johnson continues to get better and become more consistent, quarterback sacks are going to start to pile up. Johnson will be making a few of those sacks, and opposing quarterbacks are going to be a lot less comfortable against the Bulldogs this year.