Ball Hawking Jamar Johnson Has a Chip on Shoulder and is Ready to Make an Impact in Denver

Written by Zach Greene (@zgreene 650)

Fan-favorite Jamar Johnson slid all the way to the fifth round of the NFL draft. He slid to the Denver Broncos, where he will continue to play with the intensity and spark like he did in three years in Bloomington.

Johnson will play with a chip on his shoulder, considering he was the 47th ranked prospect according to Pro Football Focus and allowed an astounding 31.7 passer rating since 2019, ranking him best among draft-eligible safeties.

“It definitely put a chip on my shoulder,” said Johnson when talking about the Hoosiers 51-10 loss in 2019 to Ohio State. The following season, he came out and picked off 11th overall pick Justin Fields twice.

Coming out of high school, Johnson was a three-star defensive back who received close to 20 scholarships. He decided to go to the rising Hoosier program over Akron, Buffalo, and Central Michigan.

IU was a great fit where he cemented a legacy. Only starting one year, Johnson made the most of his playing time. This past season, he had four interceptions and received a coverage grade of 81.9, according to Pro Football Focus. 

While Pro Football Focus rated Johnson highly, his missed tackles more than likely caused him to slip. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson had a 26.5% missed tackle rate.  

“I’m a ballhawk, but I need to clean up my tackling,” uttered Johnson.

Johnson will be surrounded by one of the best safeties in the NFL, Justin Simmons, and new Defensive Back coach Christian Parker.

“I’ve always watched their games, especially Justin Simmons. He is one of my favorites,” stated Johnson.

Johnson will bring his knowledge of quick-twitch and hard-hitting ability to Denver. It might be a while before we see Johnson on the field, but there is no doubt he will give it 110%.