Javarie Johnson

On the Hoof: For a linebacker he is very tall and lean with long, muscular arms and legs and a frame that can easily hold another 30 to 40 pounds. Johnson has the appearance of a young weakside defensive end similar to South Carolina’s Cliff Matthews at the same age.
Needs Improvement: He is very stiff in the hips and struggles turning and running with backs in pass patterns. Johnson must improve his backpedal and pass coverage skills if he is to stay at linebacker. He also must improve his tackling technique because he is getting away with hitting kids high which will not work at the next level.
Most Impressive: Getting after the quarterback with reckless abandon coming off the edge is his specialty. Johnson’s skill set allows him to make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage with regularity, using his long arms and excellent straight-ahead speed.
Conclusion: Definitely a redshirt candidate, unless he comes in big enough to be a pass-rushing threat on third-and-long situations. In a few years, he will be playing with his hand on the ground and making quarterbacks run for the lives because offensive tackles will not be quick enough to stop him.