Trey Smith: Jahmir Johnson Brings "Intensity & Violence" to Vols OL

Jahmir Johnson is one of several players on Tennessee's roster turning heads in fall camp. Johnson has improved his weight, and he is making a noticeable impact upfront for Tennessee.

Johnson, or "Philly," as Trey Smith referred to earlier this week, has brought a new form of physicality to Tennessee's offensive line.

Smith said, "Philly is my guy. Philly is a dog. In terms of a guy that you want to go to war with, Philly’s up there. I played with him a lot last year. I even played with him a lot in 2018. We actually had our roles reversed. I was the tackle and he was the guard."

It is unclear who will start to the left of Smith in Week One, but he certainly holds Johnson in high esteem. He said, "The thing about Jahmir Johnson that you’re going to get every time is intensity and violence. I love that. Anytime I’m going to hold somebody up, I know he’s about two steps behind me about to knock him out. I love playing with that sort of guy, that physical guy who wants to punish people right beside you, who has the same mental makeup that you have."

Johnson is a senior this season, but he has the option of coming back for another season with the NCAA's allowance of an extra year of eligibility. Regardless of what happens for him, Smith said, "(Jahmir) has a very bright future. We’re talking about an extremely athletic guy in terms of what he can do at the tackle position. It’s fun to watch him, honestly. It’s fun to just see what he puts on tape every day.”

Johnson has appeared in 17 games, including 12 starts since signing with Tenessee out of Arizona Western Junior College in the 2018 class.