Donovan Johnson commits to Mississippi State

Donovan Johnson of Atlanta (Ga.) Cedar Grove kept his commitment simple.

“Happy birthday mom and Hail State,” Johnson said.

On his mother’s birthday, Johnson made his pledge to Mississippi State public. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive back chose the Bulldogs over Auburn on Friday.

Donovan Johnson said Starkville, Miss., felt like home from the beginning, but it took time for him to be sure. Mississippi State assistants Tony Hughes and Jason Washington both handled the recruitment of Johnson.

They both have been recruiting Johnson since he was a freshman. In that time, both became father figures when Johnson was away from home.

Their connection began with Washington telling Johnson to make a good decision, not his pitches for Mississippi State.

“He was giving me tips and he also told me that if I don’t pick Mississippi State, to find a college that feels like home,” Johnson said. “He gave it to me real. That really stood out to me as different from a lot of coaches because usually they just want to tell you to come to their college. He has taught me life lessons.”

Former Mississippi State greats models for Donovan Johnson

Before he ever considered Mississippi State, Johnson spent a bunch of time scanning the highlights of Jonathan Abrams and Cameron Dantzler.

Abrams and Dantzler have both made their way into the NFL from Starkville in recent years. Abrams was a first-round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019. Dantzler was a third-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2020 NFL draft.

Abrams’ speed and physicality are things Johnson aspires for on the field. Dantzler shares the No. 3 three with Johnson. His dominance in college made Dantzler an easy watch for Johnson.

Despite the intentional similarities, Johnson said it was completely coincidental that he ended up going to Mississippi State. He watched those players separate from his own recruitment. Even still, going into his college career Johnson is intrigued to have an opportunity to pick up the torch from two of his role models.

“It’s really cool to be the next one up,” Johnson said. “Looking at them in my freshman and sophomore year and now to kind of fill those shoes down in Starkville is a good feeling.”

SEC dream come true

Donovan Johnson grew up in the Atlanta area. Playing in the SEC has always been a dream. Johnson watched as his classmates got offers from the major SEC programs. He wondered if he’d reach that level.

Today, he is at that level, and it feels like a dream has come true.

“I definitely believed in myself, it just all felt so surreal,” Johnson said. “I saw other people in my class get offered, and I wanted to be like that and be one of those guys. Now, I’ve become one of those guys. That meant a lot to me. It pushed me to be a better player and person.”