Phillip Brown has not been around 2025 four-star linebacker Darrell Johnson for long, becoming the head coach at Dodge County High School in Eastman, Georgia, in January 2023.
But one season with Johnson, an Alabama football commit, at his disposal, Brown said he had something he's never had.
"He's the only guy I have ever coached — I've been doing it for 17 years, and I've coached some good ones — but he's the only guy in one single game that took a snap at defensive end, at linebacker and at safety," Brown said.
But here's the thing.
Brown said Johnson was not only taking snaps at each spot. He was producing: a defensive end that had strip sacks, a "tackle machine" of a linebacker and a safety that consistently leaves the game with pass deflections and interceptions.
Johnson developed into a defensive coordinator's dream, one who can play anywhere and do anything, one who can make plays.
"I'm going to try my best and get three-and-outs, three-and-outs," Johnson said. "They can punt the ball and get us off the field so the offense can go score."
The Crimson Tide defense is not what made Johnson fall in love with Alabama though. It's not what caused him to make a video at age 10 saying "I'm going to commit to the University of Alabama," one that was played during his commitment ceremony.
It was Derrick Henry . It was how big Henry was in the Crimson Tide backfield and how fast he could move, how he could redirect himself, change speeds and stiff arm. Brown has seen that mentality from Johnson as Dodge County's running back, averaging more than 10 yards per carry and recording more than 1,000 yards and 22 touchdowns as a runner.
"That Joker can run the football," Brown said of Johnson.
With Alabama, which Johnson committed to in March, he's solely focused on being a defensive weapon.
"With the Alabama defense, you have to be physical (and) fast," Johnson said. "We call ourselves the bomb squad, swarm D. You got to be swarming, bombing, do what you got to do to make a play and get there, be physical."
Heading into the start of the early signing period, Johnson is the No. 111 player and the No. 10 linebacker in the country per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide coaching staff saw that potential in Johnson early, making contact with the linebacker recruit as early as his sophomore year.
And while Washington was never on his radar when Kalen DeBoer was on staff, Johnson said the Crimson Tide remained in play after DeBoer's hire. Co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler was in Eastman to meet and re-offer Johnson shortly after his hire. 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, like, linebackers (are) going to be spread out, going against the slot, the running back. And we can just do multiple things."
But that was not the only thing Johnson saw.
"We can dance now," Johnson said. "Have fun. Be ourselves."
It's the player Brown has seen Johnson be at Dodge County.
Johnson cares about his teammates, plays hard for his teammates, Brown said. He's a player who is open minded to make an impact wherever he's needed. Johnson is low profile, not flashy, a "typical middle Georgia, country kid."
To Brown, it's something that is easily transferable to life in Tuscaloosa.
"If he goes to Alabama and he does what he is supposed to, and he takes care of business, I think he'll be in the NFL," Brown said. "I've been coaching football a long time. I've coached against and coached some good players. And he's special. He's just special.
"He's going to be a superstar."
That's what Johnson talks about with four-star linebacker Luke Metz , his future roommate, and the rest of the 2025 class. It's a group of players who are ready to come in and make a big impact.
"Once you transition to something that you really love in life," Johnson said, "you're going to put your all into it anyway."
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What LB Darrell Johnson brings to Alabama football 2025 recruiting class
