Name: Johnnie Brown
Class: 2020
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 250 pounds
Location/School: Sebring (Fla.) Sebring High School
Signed to: Florida Gators
Why he chose the Gators: "Short and simple; it’s just family love," Brown told GatorsTerritory after he committed. "The family atmosphere and it's just family."
Scouting Report: There is just one word you need to use when describing what Johnnie Brown can do on the football field: Versatile.
Brown served multiple roles for Sebring this past season, including defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker. He even received a couple of balls on direct snaps and punched them in for touchdowns.
In the interior of the d-line, Brown blows by centers and guards with his quick get-off once the ball is hiked. If he's not going untouched to the ball carrier, then he is driving the offensive lineman behind the line of scrimmage and toward the rusher to make the tackle.
Along with bullying opposing o-linemen, Brown can stand up as an edge rusher and use his speed to get around tackles and to the quarterback.
One aspect of his film that really stands out is the way Brown tracks whoever has the ball and his relentless pursuit to bring him down. He is rarely ever fooled on fake handoffs or plays with misdirection, and never gives up on a play until the whistle is blown.
While he is listed as a DT on his Rivals profile, I believe DE is where he'll wind up when he straps up the pads for the Gators. This sentiment is shared by LaVaar Scott, his head coach at Sebring, who had this to say when describing Brown's potential at the next level.
"I think the more he continues to get coached up on the fundamentals and being able to really truly know how to play the position — which I've seen him from week one to now get better at," Scott said, "and understand the position and understand what you have to do each and every play, I just know he's definitely, without a doubt, a superstar in the making."
Stay tuned to GatorsTerritory.