DE Jermaine Johnson brings unique talent, perspective to FSU Football

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Few players at this week's ACC Kickoff traveled the type of road taken by Florida State defensive end Jermaine Johnson.

Overlooked and underrecruited as a 2017 prospect out of high school in Minnesota, Johnson struggled to pick up offers from FBS schools. Just two years later, he established himself as an elite pass-rusher at Independence Community College (or as it’s more commonly known, Last Chance U), re-emerged as a consensus four-star JUCO recruit, and his career took off as part of one of the nation’s top defenses at Georgia.

While starting his college career at a junior college in rural Kansas wasn’t ideal at the time, Johnson was quick to point out Thursday how much he learned from that experience and how that can benefit FSU this fall.

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Entering his fifth and final season of college football, Johnson said he views 2021 as a '"rebirth" to his college career. And even though he's now surrounded by players who were heavily recruited coming out of high school, he will never forget his roots.

“There’s a point where I was at the bottom of the bottom and I was wishing to be in their shoes,” Johnson said. “I always say, ‘There’s guys wishing that they could be where you are.’ Wishing.”

The talented pass-rusher, who transferred to FSU from Georgia in December, is focused on using his unique football journey to help motivate his Seminole teammates.

“I’ve been through a lot during my whole football career. I know how to persevere through anything,” Johnson said. “I think that just naturally puts me in a role to lead.”

Now that he’s firmly settled into the program and was picked to represent FSU at the ACC Kickoff event, Johnson is relishing his newfound role as a valued voice on the team. He said it “meant a lot” to be one of the three players selected by FSU head coach Mike Norvell to travel to Charlotte.

Johnson understands the responsibility he has on and off the field and said he, “loves the pressure of being a leader.”

“From the players to the coaching staff, they’re entrusting me with a ton of different things and a leadership role, and I don’t take that lightly. I know what comes with that,” Johnson said. “The team trusts me in that role, and I can’t let them down in that sense.”

Before he could become a leader, Johnson had to gain the respect of his new teammates during the offseason. From all accounts, he fit into the team quickly and seamlessly, even as a transfer.

“It’s an easy relationship with everyone. I got there and they just invited me in. They accepted me, and I worked my butt off for them, and I think I gained their respect through that,” Johnson said. “You’d have to ask them for that, but I gave them everything I got and still do.”

When FSU brought in Johnson and heralded UCF quarterback transfer McKenzie Milton, they instantly improved their 2021 outlook between the hashmarks.

Off the field, Norvell had a vision that even though both would be new to the team, they could still take on the leadership burdens traditionally reserved for the longest-tenured players on a college roster.

That was music to Johnson’s ears.

“I love it. I love it. I wake up every day, like I said, I feel blessed,” Johnson said. “Coach Norvell told me what I was walking into in terms of a role that I had to step and be that guy and influence and lead other guys.”

Johnson even said that he, Milton, FSU redshirt sophomore quarterback Jordan Travis and others on the team have a leadership council that meets to plan the best ways to guide younger players on the team.

“We always bounce ideas off of each other when it comes to the team. What we think it looks like and what we need to work on,” Johnson said. “What we think the team can do better and what we as individuals have to do better.”

*ALSO SEE: Florida State's Milton, Travis open up about QB battle at ACC Kickoff

Johnson recorded five sacks last season at Georgia. Once he hit the transfer portal last December, he was a hot commodity and nearly every team in the country reached out to him to gauge his interest.

He was asked several times by the media Thursday why he chose to finish out his career at a school that went 3-6 last year and had its worst winning percentage in a season since 1975.

His answer was the same every time: He trusted Norvell.

“That guy right there, Coach Norvell, he called me,” Johnson said as he pointed to the second-year head coach. “Everything he said just made sense. He believed in who I was as a man. He believed in who I was as a player. He believed in who I could be. I feel like we share those values. I couldn't wait to get here and give everything I had to him and this program.”

To be fair, Norvell did have another factor outside of his charismatic personality that helped him bring Johnson to Tallahassee. Johnson’s defensive coordinator at Georgia, Dan Lanning, began his college coaching career as a graduate assistant on two different staffs with Norvell from 2011-2013, at Pittsburgh and Arizona State.

Even though he was transferring out of Athens and away from his coordinator, Lanning’s high praise of Norvell clearly held a lot of stock for Johnson when he was weighing his options.

“They have a great amount of respect for reach other. I have a great amount of respect for both of those guys. He had a lot to say about Coach Norvell,” Johnson said. “I took that very strongly because I respect his opinion.”

Now that Florida State has seen the type of player and person Johnson is this offseason, even his fellow high-profile transfer teammate Milton is impressed.

“One, just his work ethic. He’s a first guy in, last guy out type of dude. He embodies that mentality, just being a professional before he’s a pro. He really took charge of the defense,” Johnson said. “When he plays, it speaks for himself. I’m excited to see what he does this fall.”

With preseason camp just a couple weeks away, Johnson explained that bringing in more proven winners to the team will help the ’Noles have a better chance at a turnaround season in 2021.

“It will not be the same season they had last year, and like I said earlier, McKenzie comes from a winning program, Coach Norvell comes from a winning program, I come from a winning program,” Johnson said. “We know what that looks like, and I feel that every day we incorporate those values and those character aspects into what we have now here. I feel like that’s invaluable, and I can’t wait for what this season holds for us.”

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