Transfer Bio Blast: Jamon Dumas-Johnson

The first transfer portal of the offseason has been open for two weeks. We are nearly at the halfway period of the first free agency period of the offseason. However, this is also the dead period with the early signing period set to begin on Wednesday. From Dec. 18-Jan. 11, schools are not allowed to have any contact with recruits or transfers. You better have gotten your visits done with targets in the first two weekends.

Kentucky got a big-time transfer on campus over the weekend.

Georgia linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson entered the transfer portal on Friday. The true senior with one year of eligibility left then took visits to Auburn and Kentucky over the weekend. Any other visits are not on the table until mid-January due to the recruiting dead period. That is siginificant.

If Dumas-Johnson wants to get enrolled for the spring semester, the transfer must make a decision quickly. Kentucky has a big need at off-ball linebacker after Trevin Wallace declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.

KSR’s Bio Blast is taking a look at the Georgia transfer who is the No. 1 off-ball linebacker in the transfer portal.

Blue-Chipper

Jamon-Dumas Johnson starred at Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy and became one of the top high linebackers in the country. His recruitment played out like a typical top-300 prospect.

Dumas-Johnson received scholarship offers from numerous SEC schools along with Florida State, Michigan, and Penn State. That recruitment came to a quick end when the No. 240 overall recruit and top-30 linebacker in the 2021 On3 Industry Ranking committed to Georgia in July before his senior season at St. Frances.

The four-star recruit would sign with Georgia and carve out a role in year one.

Accomplished SEC Starter

As a true freshman on Georgia’s national championship team in 2021, Jamon-Dumas Johnson played in 14 games with most of his action occurring on special teams. The true freshman linebacker finished the season with 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and an interception. Dumas-Johnson logged 102 defensive snaps playing behind first-round pick Quay Walker and third-round picks Nakobe Dean and Channing Tindall.

After those three departed, Dumas-Johnson stepped into a starting role in year two. The four-star recruit immediately became one of the best off-ball linebackers in college football.

Georgia ILB Jamon Dumas-Johnson shoots right out of the cannon on the blitz.

His quickness and speed off the snap is no match for the RG and C.J. Stroud has no choice but to take the sack.

He had 4 sacks and 26 QB hurries in 2022, demonstrating his pass-rush skills. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/o6lp8m0Hx4

— WBG84 (@WBG84) August 20, 2023

Dumas-Johnson earned second-team All-American honors and was a finalist for the Butkus Award as a true sophomore in 2022. The linebacker recorded 70 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks, and three pass breakups while starting all 15 games for the Dawgs. The veteran had high expectations entering year three.

As a true junior, Dumas-Johnson started the first nine games for Georgia recording 34 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and two pass breakups. In the home win over Missouri on Nov. 4, Dumas-Johnson suffered an arm injury that forced him to miss the rest of the season. Dumas-Johnson missed UGA’s final four games ending a 24 consecutive starts streak.

The transfer linebacker is an All-SEC caliber player and a future draft pick.

Scouting Notebook

Jamon Dumas-Johnson was a productive starting off-ball linebacker in the SEC for one of the best programs in college football that consistently produces elite defenses. What will the transfer bring to his next school?

I dug into the tape to find out. Here is my scouting write-up on Dumas-Johnson after reviewing games in 2023 against Kentucky and Florida.

Jamon Dumas-Johnson (6-1, 245) is a big off-ball linebacker who played both Mike and Will in Georgia’s multiple scheme that will mix both even and odd fronts. Dumas-Johnson flashes good instincts against the run in the box and effectiveness as a blitzer. Shows good communication skills on tape. Is used on the edge in some alignments. Not the greatest athlete at the position but plays smart and sound. Can bring value in simulated pressure packages. Slips off blocks and pursues under control. Good awareness and recognition in man coverage. Can get stuck on blocks against linemen in run support. Tackling efficiency (16.3% missed tackle rate in 2023 per PFF) could use improvement. Can slip off ballcarriers in space and doesn’t show much knockback power. Smart football player who can make the calls in the middle and brings versatility as both a run and pass defender. Plug-and-play starter with NFL potential.

Jamon Dumas-Johnson was not one of Georgia’s best athletes on defense, but the veteran was a key piece in the middle and one of the better off-ball linebackers in the SEC. This is a future draft pick and a potential leader on defense. The transfer owns run/pass versatility and can be an instant producer in multiple ways.