What LB Darrell Johnson brings to the 2025 Alabama football recruiting class

Phillip Brown hasn’t been dating 2025 four-star linebacker Darrell Johnson long and became the head coach at Dodge County High School in Eastman, Georgia in January 2023.

But when he was at his disposal during a season with Johnson, an Alabama football team, Brown said he had something he never had.

“He’s the only guy I’ve ever coached — I’ve been doing it for 17 years, and I’ve coached some good ones — but he’s the only guy in a single game at defensive end, at linebacker and at position “made a mistake.” Safety,” Brown said.

But here’s the thing.

Brown said Johnson doesn’t just take snaps at every spot. He produced: a defensive end with strip sacks, a “tackle machine” of a linebacker and a safety who consistently leaves the game with pass deflections and interceptions.

Johnson developed into a defensive coordinator’s dream, one who could play anywhere and do anything, one who could make plays.

“I’m going to do my best and go three-and-out, three-and-out,” Johnson said. “They can hit the ball and drive us off the field so the offense can score.”

What made Darrell Johnson fall in love with Alabama football

However, the Crimson Tide defense didn’t make Johnson fall in love with Alabama. It’s not why he made a video at age 10 saying, “I’m committing to the University of Alabama,” which played during his engagement ceremony.

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It was Derrick Henry. It was about how big Henry was in the Crimson Tide backfield and how fast he could move, how he could realign himself, change speed and stiffen his arm. Brown learned that mentality from Johnson as a Dodge County running back, who averaged more than 10 yards per carry and recorded more than 1,000 yards and 22 touchdowns as a runner.

“This Joker can dictate football,” Brown said of Johnson.

At Alabama, where Johnson committed in March, his sole focus is on being a defensive weapon.

“The Alabama defense requires you to be physical (and) quick,” Johnson said. “We call ourselves the bomb squad, Swarm D. You have to fan out, bomb, do what you have to do to make a play and get there, be physical.”

Entering the early signing period, Johnson is the No. 111 player and No. 10 linebacker in the country, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide coaching staff recognized this potential in Johnson early on and began contacting the linebacker recruit in his second year.

And while Washington was never on his radar when Kalen DeBoer was with the team, Johnson said the Crimson Tide stayed in the game after DeBoer was hired. Co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler was at Eastman shortly after he was hired to meet with Johnson and re-offer him. The next week, Johnson was in Tuscaloosa and saw a defense he could be a part of.

“With Saban, it was just downhill football,” Johnson said. “But now the linebackers are spread out and matched up against the slot, the running back. And we can just do multiple things.”

But that wasn’t the only thing Johnson saw.

“We can dance now,” Johnson said. “Have fun. Be ourselves.”

What Darrell Johnson wants to bring to Alabama

It’s the player Brown Johnson saw in Dodge County.

Johnson cares about his teammates and plays hard for his teammates, Brown said. He is a player who is open to making an impact wherever he is needed. Johnson is unassuming, not flashy, a “typical middle Georgia country kid.”

For Brown, it’s something that easily translates to life in Tuscaloosa.

“If he goes to Alabama and does what he’s supposed to do and takes care of business, I think he’ll be in the NFL,” Brown said. “I have been coaching football for a long time. I trained against some good players and coached them. And he is special. He’s just something special.

“He’s going to be a superstar.”

What LB Darrell Johnson brings to the 2025 Alabama football recruiting class

ByAmelia Journalton

By Amelia Journalton

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