Name: Quinten Johnson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 203 lbs.
High school: Washington (DC) St. John’s
Position: Safety
Class: Sixth year senior
Jersey number: #28
Last year: I ranked Johnson #36 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He made 22 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 5 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 79
As a fifth year senior in 2023, Johnson seemed to be . . . superfluous. It’s rare that players at Michigan stick around for a fifth year during the transfer portal/grad transfer era rather than going elsewhere for more playing time. Even though it was clear Johnson was headed for a backup role, he chose to come back. I actually felt a little bad for him since Makari Paige and Rod Moore were entrenched ahead of him, and then he was passed by the younger Keon Sabb, just a sophomore in 2023.
And then . . . the light seemed to come on for Johnson. In the last third of the season, he seemed to have figured things out. The numbers don’t necessarily support that anecdotal conclusion (his PFF grades were fairly consistent), but he was making some big plays in big games, particularly a pass breakup against Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka:
Thank you Quinten Johnson pic.twitter.com/w2rBe8idAD
— JJ McCarthy Fan (@JJOneOfOne) February 2, 2024
Johnson originally chose to leave Michigan after 2023 and attempt to make it to the NFL, but Rod Moore’s ACL injury and Sabb’s transfer to Alabama opened the door for him to return. Instead of being almost a surefire backup, he had a real chance to earn a starting gig. Even though the Wolverines brought in Wesley Walker from Tennessee and Jaden Mangham from Michigan State, it seems like Johnson will be the starter opposite Paige, partly due to his familiarity with the defensive system.
Prediction: Starting safety
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