The 16th commitment of the 2015 Longhorn class is in as Charlie Strong tapped the South Oak Cliff pipeline to pick up defensive back Jamile Johnson. Johnson picked up his offer today and made the quick decision to switch his pledge from North Carolina to Texas. Johnson, who is also a former Oklahoma commitment, chose Texas over offers from Arkansas, Nebraska, TCU, and Wisconsin. He will join his high school teammate Jordan Stevenson who is also committed to the Longhorns.
Johnson has proven to be a versatile player at the high school level, lining up at both cornerback and safety. It’s unclear at this time which position the Longhorn coaches prefer him at, but with no committed cornerbacks and a glut of safety prospects it’s fair to say he will get a long look at cornerback. Johnson joins Deshon Elliott and Keivon Ramsey as committed defensive back prospects in 2015. Johnson is a big kid who appears to fit the physical mold Charlie Strong has sought after in his recruitment of defensive backs.
Film Analysis:
Johnson has a big frame (6’0 190lbs.) and plays a very physical brand of ball. On film, most of the plays he makes are near the line of scrimmage as he forces on the run or closes quickly to make a play on short passes. He looks to have good straight line speed and lateral quickness. His technique is a little sloppy when he lines up at corner and causes him to get beat at times, but his coverage skills play up at the safety position. He could stick at corner if he were asked to play more zone than man to man. Johnson is a big hitter who shows good technique when tackling. Johnson is also a very instinctive player who diagnoses developing plays and reacts quickly to stop them. When playing the run he’s capable at the point of attack, and also shows the ability to be a factor on kick returns. Johnson also plays with a ton of confidence and controlled aggression.
Final Verdict:
Johnson reminds me a bit of current Longhorn freshman Jason Hall. There is a lot of size and skills wrapped up in a prospect who needs to learn the finer techniques of the position. While I think he’s a good athlete, I don’t see him as a plus athlete so that might limit him just a bit. His ceiling is probably that of a multi-year starter and all conference performer with a shot at making it to the NFL. He will need to get into the film room and get to work on some simple technique, but might have a shot to contribute on special teams early on in his career.
