Name: Ricky Johnson
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Houston (TX) Cy Falls
Position: Cornerback
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #22
Last year: Bell was a redshirt junior at UNLV. He made 36 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 7 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: N/A
Michigan went hard after defensive backs in the transfer portal because there was so much turnover in the off-season. Cam Calhoun (Utah), D.J. Waller (Kentucky), Amorion Walker (Ole Miss), and Keon Sabb (Alabama) all transferred, starters Josh Wallace and Mike Sainristil both moved on to the NFL, and starter Rod Moore tore his ACL in spring practice. And while Walker did return to Ann Arbor after the spring, he moved over to wide receiver, anyway. So Michigan lost six defensive backs and replaced them with four experienced transfers and then the incoming freshmen. (NOTE: This doesn't even include Quinten Johnson, who declared for the NFL Draft and then returned to Michigan for a sixth year.)
As for Johnson himself, he came from UNLV, where he started two games at cornerback and three at strong safety; his PFF grades were not very good. It's hard to expect a part-time starter at UNLV to step in at Michigan and start immediately, but he does have two years of eligibility left, so he could be a developmental guy with an eye toward 2025. Nobody's expecting Johnson to start, but he's one of the more experienced defensive backs on the roster and could be a valuable backup if things get rocky for some of the young guys.
Prediction: Backup cornerback
SpTms and depth
ReplyDeleteFeels about right. Johnson maybe a factor if injuries befall our CBs but right now he feels like a developmental prospect and the 4th option at outside corner, at best. Sometimes transfers take a minute to figure out the new surroundings but I haven't seen Johnson generating buzz like other corners (Hall and Hill) opposite Will Johnson.
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