South Carolina defenders on why young linebacker Fred "JayR" Johnson will be "very special"
South Carolina is losing three senior linebackers to graduation and the NFL this offseason. Demetrius Knight, Debo Williams, and Bam Martin-Scott are all out of eligibility but plan to play in the Citrus Bowl on December 31st against Illinois.
During a player media availability this week, several defensive leaders (including a couple of linebackers) spoke. Among the topics of conversation was young linebacker Fred “JayR” Johnson. With Knight, Williams, and Martin-Scott graduating, Johnson is one of the “next men up” for the USC defense. According to his teammates, that means good things for next year’s unit.
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This season, Johnson was on the defensive depth chart as the backup to Demetrius Knight at Mike linebacker. On Friday, Knight gauged Johnson’s potential as “off the charts” and referred to the young linebacker as a “sponge” who absorbed so much from his veteran teammates this fall. Having worked alongside him a lot at practice and in workouts, Knight also lauded Johnson’s off-field character and work ethic.
Williams, the starter at the other ‘backer spot this year, echoed Knight’s praise. Johnson impressed Williams this year with his ability and with his mental approach to getting better as a player. “I expect nothing but the best from him…he’s taken everything from me, D Knight, Bam. He has learned so much. I love how he was able to grasp the playbook so fast.”
No one directly asked junior safety Nick Emmanwori about Johnson. Instead, No. 7 brought him up when asked about impact players for next season. He had this to say about Johnson: he’s “a dude who a lot of fans haven’t really seen, but in practice, he’s made some crazy plays that made us all kinda go ‘Woah.'”. The junior defensive back excitedly said that he “can’t wait” to see what Johnson can do next year. He also gave a shout-out to EDGE player Desmond Umeozulu.
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It wasn’t just the back seven of the defense that hyped up their young teammate. Defensive tackle Boogie Huntley joined the party with his own Johnson praise. “He has had so much growth. I think his ceiling is so high…I can’t wait to see him next year and over the next couple of years what his final form will be because I know it will be something very special.”
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Johnson, who played in all 12 games this season (mostly on special teams), could be a starter in 2025. Rising redshirt junior Jaron Willis and rising redshirt senior Ronnie Porter are the only other scholarship returners at the position. This year, even as a true freshman, the Virginia native was ahead of both Willis and Porter in the rotation.
South Carolina will play against Illinois in the Citrus Bowl on December 31st. Kickoff is at 3:00 p.m., and the game will broadcast on ABC. ESPN+ also will make the contest available via streaming.
