UGA Football LB Jamon Dumas Johnson Talks About Learning From Nakobe Dean
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have one of the top linebackers in college football returning for the 2023 season.
Of course, that would be Jamon Dumas-Johnson.
A thick, hard-hitting linebacker from Maryland, Dumas-Johnson stands at 6-foot-1 245-pounds and is coming off a big sophomore season where he made 70 tackles, a team-leading 9 TFLs, and four sacks. He was also named an AP All-SEC 2nd Team selection and a finalist for the 2022 Butkus Award.
More importantly, he helped lead another elite Bulldog defense to a national championship.
Now, Dumas-Johnson is an experienced defender and one of the true leaders not only on the defense, but on the entire roster. Last week, Dumas-Johnson spoke with reporters about what he learned from the veteran linebackers early in his career, developing into a leader, and his goals for the 2023 season.
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On learning from previous Georgia linebackers…
“One person I was close to when I was a freshman was Nakobe Dean. His work ethic, how he approached everything, basically says, ‘Hard work works.’ That’s what I took from him. If you work hard, it will eventually show off.”
On developing into a team leader on defense…
“I feel like that’s just my personality and who I am. I’m loud and energetic, which fits the qualities and characteristics to be a linebacker, especially here at Georgia. Being accountable, it’s about growing as a person and knowing when you were wrong. You can’t move past something unless you recognize that you were wrong, and that’s what I try to do. You can’t dwell on the past. If I dwell on the past, what do you think the rest of the defense is going to do? I’m one of the leaders of the defense, so you have to keep moving forward.”
On goals for the 2023 season…
“My goal is for the team to do what we came to do and set out to be who we set out to be. I’m not worried about my own goals anymore. During the team meeting, my coach showed us a lot of players who they had on the third team coming into the season that went in the first round of the NFL Draft. I swiped that off my mind. That’s really irrelevant to me now, the first teams, second teams, third teams. That doesn’t matter, especially when you see who was on the third team that went in the first round. I’m worried about our team. Team success brings individual success. That’s what I’m worried about."
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2023:
Named to Preseason Media Days All-SEC First Team...Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List selection.
2022:
Associated Press All-SEC 2nd Team...finalist for the Butkus Award...started at LB in all 15 games...second leading tackler on the team with 70 total stops, including team-high 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 QB sacks...also has 26 QB hurries, third-most on the team...posted four tackles and two QB hurries against TCU in the CFP National Championship Game...had two tackles, a sack and three QB hurries against Ohio State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl...team-high eight tackles in win at Missouri...had six tackles -- two for QB sacks, another for lost yardage -- in win over Kent State...led all Bulldog defenders with six tackles (and three QB hurries) in win at South Carolina...had seven tackles, including one for a 2-yard loss, along with five QB hurries in win over Florida...eight tackles in win at Kentucky...had five tackles, one for lost yardage, and recovered a third-quarter fumble in win over Georgia Tech...had three stops in season-opening win over No. 11 Oregon...second-team Mid-Season All-America by The Athletic...named to the pre-season Watch List for the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels.
2021:
Played in 14 of 15 games as a reserve LB and also on special teams...finished with 22 total stops on the season, along with 2.0 QB sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception and two QB pressures...tied for team honors with six tackles in win over Charleston Southern...five tackles, including one sack for a 9-yard loss, in win over Missouri...saw his first collegiate action as a reserve LB in win over UAB...had a 4th-quarter interception and return of 20 yards for a touchdown, the second of Georgia's four pick-six scores in 2021...one of his four tackles vs. Georgia Tech was a QB sack for a 13-yard loss...credited with two stops each in wins over Arkansas and Auburn...solo tackle on the game’s opening kickoff vs. Kentucky...had one tackle and a pass breakup in win over Florida.