Oklahoma Freshman DB Derrick Johnson II 'Learned the Details' During Spring Ball

Derrick Johnson II came to OU as a 4-star prospect and the son of a former NFL player, but the Sooners' freshman knew he had to develop even more.

Oklahoma defensive back Derrick Johnson II defends a pass intended for wide receiver Elijah Thomas in the spring game. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

NORMAN — Football is in Derrick Johnson II’s DNA.

Johnson is a defensive back who signed with Oklahoma in December as part of the Sooners’ 2026 recruiting class. He is the son of Derrick Johnson Sr., who spent a few years in the NFL after playing collegiately at Washington.

Being raised by someone who played football at its highest level, Johnson admitted that he grew up with an advantage, relative to other rising prospects.

“He's taught me a lot of things like coming in that a lot of people don't get to have,” Johnson said. “I think that’s definitely helped me throughout this process.”

Johnson stands 6-0 and weighs 170 pounds. 247Sports and Rivals both graded him as a 4-star recruit, and he chose the Sooners over offers from UCLA, Washington, TCU and several other major programs.

As a senior at Murrieta Valley (CA) High School in 2025, Johnson logged 25 total tackles, 19 solo tackles, three pass breakups, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and a forced fumble in six games.

Johnson said the lessons learned from his father helped him earn his opportunity to play in the SEC.

“I feel like I’ve been influenced by him,” Johnson said. “My dad, obviously he’s been through the whole process.”

Johnson, though, never felt entitled to anything as a result of his lineage. When he arrived at Oklahoma, Johnson knew that his development would need to continue for him to make an impact at the Power Four level.

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“At the end of the day, I have to put in the work to get on the field,” Johnson said.

Former OU cornerbacks coach Jay Valai recruited Johnson to Norman, but he opted to take the same position with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in January. The Sooners replaced Valai with LaMar Morgan, who previously served as Michigan’s cornerbacks coach.

Though Johnson admitted that he was excited to play for Valai, the young defensive back said he has already grown and matured under Morgan.

“When you talk to him, you can tell he knows what he's talking about,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that learning the playbook was the biggest challenge he faced during his first several weeks at OU.

The cornerback quickly learned that Morgan is a very detailed-oriented coach — and that allowed him to adapt quickly.

“When he fixes stuff, he really pays attention to detail and technique,” Johnson said. “I think that just really helps because he's cleaning up the smallest things. He's trying to clean that up, and it's just really helped me through this process.”

Johnson said that OU’s track record with defensive backs getting playing time early factored into his decision to choose the Sooners.

In 2025, Courtland Guillory earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors after starting 11 games at cornerback. The year before that, Eli Bowen was a Freshman All-American, per ESPN.

Those two will hold down the Sooners’ starting cornerback spots in 2026, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

But Johnson is confident that there is a pathway to playing time in his first college season — and after his first few months in Norman, he feels ready to make an impact.

“I'm putting in the work, and I'm going to keep putting in work to try to get on the field just like they did,” Johnson said. “It's definitely exciting, and I'm excited to keep putting in work and see what I could do.”