One of Texas A&M's few concerns going into 2021 is a lack of experience on the offensive line, particularly at tackle. That problem is less severe after the Aggies landed the commitment of former Tennessee lineman Jhamir Johnson today.
A redshirt senior, Johnson decided to play is extra season elsewhere as the program led by former coach Jeremy Pruitt began to crumble at the end of last season. 2020 was a disappointing year for Tennessee, and nowhere moreso than the offensive line. What was supposed to be one of the nation's top front lines ended resembling a sieve, giving up 29 sacks in 10 games. Johnson ended up taking the the starting left tackle job from Wanya Morris (who transferred to Oklahoma) and started the last five games.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound junior college transfer played in 24 games and started 17 while with the Vols. He started all 11 games in 2018 at left guard, but only one in 2019 as he battled injuries which limited him to six appearances.
Johnson is now the third member of Texas A&M's 2021 signing class to hail from Philadelphia, joining cornerback Tyreek Chappell and defensive end Elijah Jeudy. He is also the seventh offensive lineman to sign, along with incoming freshmen Bryce Foster, Ruben Fatheree, Trey Zuhn, Remington Strickland, Matthew Wykoff and Australian JUCO transfer Jordan Moko.
Analysis
This is a low-risk, high-reward deal for the Aggies. Numbers-wise Johnson fills up a spot in the 2021 recruiting class that was left open when Tywone Malone signed with Ole Miss, and that's about it. He won't affect any numbers for 2022. On the field, however, he could fill one of the very few glaring shortcomings on the 2021 team.
Johnson's ProFootballFocus score for 2020 was a weak 44.6, with a low of 35.2 against A&M in mid-December. He only scored a 14.8 in pass blocking, as he struggled mightily against DeMarvin Leal and Tyree Johnson. On the other hand, nobody on Tennessee's offensive line graded out well, especially the tackles (Morris had the highest score amongst that group at a pedestrian 65). The Vols were poorly coached top-top-bottom in 2020, and that has to be taken into account. The Aggies are on the verge of a potential championship run, and they're not going to waste a scholarship on someone they think can't play.
Johnson brings versatility and, in the words of his former teammates, "intensity and violence". A former first-team JUCO All-American, he has a solid toolset, but hasn't been fully developed by the Tennessee coaching staff.
The question for Johnson when it comes to A&M is where he'll play. Would he be penciled in at left tackle, where he's familiar, or would be he moved to right tackle in favor of Kenyon Green? Green played right tackle in high school and has actively recruited Johnson to join the Aggies, so he's on board with whatever decision the coaching staff makes.
With his six starts at tackle, Johnson has more than the rest of A&M's offensive line. In terms of overall experience, he trails only Green, who has started all 23 games he's appeared in. At the very worst, the new addition will come in and make competition tougher for the guys on campus.
