Film Room: Jamon Dumas-Johnson

Kentucky has an immediate need at off-ball linebacker. The Wildcats filled that need in the portal on Wednesday when Georgia transfer Jamon Dumas-Johnson committed and signed with the Big Blue on National Signing Day.

This is a big one.

The former four-star recruit with one year of eligibility remaining was a two-year starter during his three-year stint in Athens. Dumas-Johnson earned All-American honors in 2022 and will bring two national championship rings with him to Athens. The Georgia transfer is a massive addition for Mark Stoops‘ program.

The accolades are obvious with Kentucky’s newest linebacker, but what does the tape say about the true senior? Let’s find out.

Fitting the run

The top job for any off-ball linebacker is to be an excellent communicator. Quite often, the quarterback of the defense is at the second level. Once communication is done, downhill football must be played. In Kentucky’s 3-4 scheme, the two inside linebackers have big jobs in run fits. The entire design of the defense is to keep these players clean so they can diagnose and make tackles.

Jamon Dumas-Johnson is a very effective run support player in the box.

On fourth-and-short against Auburn, Dumas-Johnson diagnoses quickly and then gets downhill in a hurry. The off-ball linebacker delivers a physical tackle to get the defense off the field. As the backside pursuit player, Dumas-Johnson is able to stone Chris Rodriguez Jr. on first contact. This simply did not happen often to the Washington Commanders tailback. On a draw design by Missouri for Brady Cook, Dumas-Johnson avoids a block by the tailback and makes an open field stop against a good rusher in space to create a third-and-long.

The Georgia transfer flashes good box instincts and strikes with power. Dumas-Johnson will give Kentucky another very good box defender to team with D’Eryk Jackson.

Pass rush value

Creating a consistent pass rush has been a problem in recent seasons for Kentucky. The Wildcats do not have a consistent winner on the edge, and only Deone Walker has been able to create any consistent type of edge pressure. The Wildcats have to look at unconventional ways to put some pressure on the quarterback.

In Georgia’s situational pressure and creeper package, Jamon Dumas-Johnson was asked to frequently produce as a pass rusher. The off-ball linebacker makes an impact as a rusher.

On a delayed stunt against Florida, Dumas-Johnson makes Trevor Etienne whiff on the protection pickup and quickly gets Graham Mertz on the ground. On a simulated pressure against South Carolina, Dumas-Johnson flashes raw power knocking the center backwards and helping flush Spencer Rattler from the pocket to create a sack. On a five-man pressure, Dumas-Johnson splits the B gap and once again wins a one-on-one with a tailback in protection. That creates another havoc play against the Gamecocks.

The senior flashes some explosiveness as a pass rusher. Dumas-Johnson wins one-on-one against tailbacks, has the power to challenge some interior linemen, and finishes upon arrival (9.5 career sacks on 39 pressures).

Jamon Dumas-Johnson is a plug-and-play SEC linebacker

Jamon Dumas-Johnson was a two-year starter at Georgia who earned second-team All-American honors in 2022. In 2023, the former top-250 recruit was a leader in the middle of Kirby Smart‘s defense before being lost for the season in November.

With the emergence of top-100 recruit CJ Allen in the last month of the season, Dumas-Johnson was going to have to battle for snaps in Athens. Instead, the veteran entered the transfer portal and will be a plug-and-play starter in Lexington.

The senior with one year of eligibility remaining is a big off-ball linebacker who flashes good instincts against the run in the box and effectiveness as a pass rusher. Dumas-Johnson slips off blocks and pursues under control. This is a smart football player who can make the calls in the middle and brings versatility as both a run and pass defender. The transfer is an instant starter with NFL potential.

An argument can be made that this is the biggest defensive recruiting win for Kentucky in the transfer portal era. The Wildcats just added a future draft pick and potential All-SEC performer at a position of need. The front seven is coming together in Lexington.