Sooners DT Jeffery Johnson declares for the 2023 NFL Draft
Defensive tackle is a position the Sooners have already addressed through the transfer portal with the addition of Jacob Lacey. They’re looking to add Texas State transfer Davon Sears as well. They’ll need the defensive tackle depth after Jalen Redmond declared for the 2023 NFL draft. Now the Sooners are losing another one to the NFL.
After graduating, defensive tackle Jeffery Johnson declared for the NFL draft.
Arriving from Tulane in the 2022 transfer portal, Johnson was integral to the Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive tackle rotation. He was third among interior defensive linemen in snaps for the Sooners and recorded 23 tackles and four tackles for loss in 13 games.
From a statistical standpoint, he had his best game of the season against Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl, recording five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Playing nose tackle for Brent Venables and Ted Roof, racking up big statistical numbers wasn’t going to be easy, but Johnson was an effective interior player taking up space.
After four seasons with the Green Wave and a fifth in Norman, Johnson is taking his talents to the NFL.
New Beginning ❤️🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/ppoSEDAsje
— 🔱 Jeffery Johnson 🔱 (@Jeffery5621) January 5, 2023
Following Redmond, Johnson is the second defensive tackle to declare for the draft. Josh Ellison opted to enter the transfer portal but played in the Cheez-It Bowl with the Sooners. It’s possible he returns.
With another interior player out the door, the Sooners will have Isaiah Coe, Kelvin Gilliam, Gracen Halton, and Notre Dame transfer Jacob Lacey as the next men up on the defensive tackle depth chart. The Sooners await word on Jordan Kelley, who could return for one more season and are in the running for Texas State transfer Davon Sears.
Because of the position he plays, Johnson may not hear his name called early in the draft. Nose tackles aren’t as highly-valued as some in the league, but he will catch on with someone at the next level.
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