2024 Season Countdown: #23 Quinten Johnson

Tag: Quinten Johnson


26Aug 2024
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2024 Season Countdown: #23 Quinten Johnson

Quinten Johnson (image via 247 Sports)

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:

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

15Apr 2024
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Transfer Portal Shopping List

Alex Orji

The transfer portal opens up on Tuesday, April 16, and lots of schools are going to be shopping. With spring games out of the way for many programs – and Michigan’s coming up this Saturday – we’re enough of the way through spring ball to be aware of some roster deficiencies going into the fall.

Here are the top three positions Michigan should be looking for in the transfer portal prior to August camp:

1. QUARTERBACK
I know there are some big Alex Orji fans out there, but . . . I’m not one of them. At least not yet. Orji was a project coming out of high school, and in his second season in a Michigan uniform, he did not attempt a single pass. Yes, he can run at 6’3″ and 236 pounds (15 carries, 86 yards, 1 touchdown in 2023), but I’m on the record as a Passing QB Enthusiast. While I’m not a proponent of statuesque quarterbacks, championship teams have good passers and decision-makers, not run-first quarterbacks. I don’t think Michigan has the roster to win an FBS championship in 2024, anyway, but I don’t think they’re going to hit their ceiling without finding a quarterback who can pass the ball efficiently. Some of the big names have already found a new home, but perhaps the Wolverines can find the 2024 version of Jake Rudock, a solid passing quarterback who led Michigan to ten wins back in 2015. Others in the running are seventh-year senior Jack Tuttle and redshirt sophomore Jayden Denegal, but Tuttle had shoulder surgery and Denegal needs some polish since he’s not quite as dangerous as a runner as Orji.

Hit the jump for more.

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8Aug 2023
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2023 Season Countdown: #36 Quinten Johnson

Quinten Johnson (image via Twitter)

Name: Quinten Johnson
Height
5’11”
Weight: 
200 lbs.
High school: 
Washington (DC) St. John’s
Position: 
Safety
Class: 
Redshirt senior
Jersey number: 
#28
Last year: 
I ranked Johnson #56 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He made 11 tackles and 1 tackle for loss.
TTB Rating:
 79

Johnson was ranked #57 and #56 in the past two years, so he’s been a fringe player for a while. He suffered a nasty leg injury a couple years ago that slowed his progress, but I had given him a TTB Rating of 79 when he came out of high school, so I thought he would be a solid player. Unfortunately, that hasn’t really come to fruition so far in his career, during which he’s been a little used backup and special teamer. His playing time did pick up last season and he played quite a bit in the CFP semifinal against TCU.

During this past off-season, safety R.J. Moten transferred to Florida once he realized Makari Paige had moved past him on the depth chart. Now there’s a top two of Paige and Rod Moore, but the third safety spot is up for grabs. From what I’ve gathered so far, it looks like Johnson is the front-runner, but there are numerous other guys battling for playing time, including solid second-year prospects in Keon Sabb and Zeke Berry. Experience is a valuable asset at the safety position, so I’m giving Johnson the nod here.

Prediction: Backup safety and special teamer

16Dec 2022
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Potential Early Departures: Defense

Quinten Johnson (image via MGoBlue)

With the onslaught of transfer portal entries in college football, it’s inevitable that Michigan will face some more departures this off-season. Four players have already announced their intentions to transfer, and two (Cade McNamara and Erick All to Iowa) have already found a landing spot. Quarterback Alan Bowman and tight end Louis Hansen are both headed for, ahem, greener pastures.

McNamara and All are both somewhat unique cases of players who played a lot but felt slighted in some way, but Bowman and Hansen are more typical cases of players buried on the depth chart who want to see some light at the end of the tunnel. This post explores several players in similar situations who may find better situations elsewhere.

You can find the version for the offensive side of the ball here (LINK).

DISCLAIMER: This post is speculative in nature and not intended to encourage/discourage any player from leaving Michigan’s program. The reality is that college football is now a lot like unrestricted free agency from year to year.

LB JOEY VELAZQUEZ
Why he should stay: Velazquez is a solid two-sport athlete who’s having a decent impact on the baseball field with Michigan’s baseball team. His playing time on the field has increased yearly from one game in 2020 to seven games in 2021 to eleven games so far in the 2022 season. He is a steady contributor on special teams and has made a career-high 6 tackles.
Why he might leave: Playing time has been difficult to find on defense, and he has never risen above third string on defense. He was immediately passed by freshman Jimmy Rolder this fall, and the commitment of Ernest Hausmann probably does not bode well for the staff’s faith in Velazquez contributing on defense in 2023. Velazquez only has one season of eligibility remaining, and he may want to go somewhere he can compete for a starting job, which is extremely unlikely in Ann Arbor.

Hit the jump for more.

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20Jul 2022
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2022 Season Countdown: #56 Quinten Johnson

Quinten Johnson (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Quinten Johnson
Height:
5’11”
Weight:
200 lbs.
High school:
Washington (DC) St. John’s
Position:
Safety
Class:
Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#14
Last year:
I ranked Johnson #57 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He made 3 tackles.
TTB Rating:
79

Johnson had a tough road to hoe for playing time in 2021. Behind starters Daxton Hill and Brad Hawkins, he was clawing for playing time with the likes of R.J. Moten, Makari Paige, and others. Eventually, true freshman Rod Moore moved into the starting lineup, too, and Johnson was still mostly playing special teams.

The year 2022 provides a big opportunity. Gone are Hill and Hawkins, meaning another safety or two need to step into starting roles. I feel very confident that Johnson will not be a starter, but if those new starters are Moore and Moten – which I expect – then Johnson could be alongside Paige to be the next guy in. He will need to fend off a good group of incoming freshman defensive backs, as well as walk-on Caden Kolesar. I think Johnson’s biggest contributions will continue to be on special teams, and if Johnson intends to earn a starting role, he may need to finish his career elsewhere in 2023 and/or 2024.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer