The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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48 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2026 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY ETHAN MCDOWELL D errick Johnson Sr. played Pac- 12 football at Washington before making it to the NFL. He knows what it takes to compete on the gridiron at the highest level, and he watched his son commit to Michigan in May. Two of his sons will play Power Four football next year: Darius and Derrick Jr., the latter a freshman at Oklahoma. A third Johnson brother, Deion, picked up his first offer from Cal this spring. When the three Johnson siblings began their athletic journeys, Derrick didn't push them toward a football field. They also played soccer, baseball, and basketball. Darius, now a four- star Wolverine cornerback pledge, ran track and cross country with his broth- ers. Derrick knew that would naturally develop a strong athletic skill set that would translate well to the football field, while his kids were more focused on or- ange slices and Capri Suns at halftime. "When you combine all those into football, you get the best of all sports because you get the hand-eye coordi- nation from baseball, you get the lateral movement from football, you get the footwork from soccer, and then you get the straight-ahead speed from track, and then you get the mental toughness from running 5Ks in cross country," Derrick told The Wolverine earlier this spring. They watched Derrick Jr. go through the recruiting process last year. Both Derrick Jr. and Darius were national re- cruits. Their father did not push them to stay in Southern California. In fact, his approach was quite the opposite. "I want him to go somewhere where he's not close to home," Derrick said. "I want him to become a man and to grow, and my job is to pass the baton to the coaching staff and the university to help develop him into a contributing mem- ber of society, and I think that's done when your kids leave the nest and they go through their own struggles, and we help them from afar, but he makes good choices, good decisions and learns what that looks like for him." Darius is the No. 203 overall recruit and No. 25 cornerback nationally. Michigan locked in on him as a top tar- get early this year. Cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford put a ton of time into getting to know Darius as a player and a person. The U-M assistant took every chance to reach out to and visit the coveted cor- ner. Gilford has a long history of de- veloping productive corners, and his attention to detail with Darius' recruit- ment caught Derrick's attention. "He set out a plan— a four-year, five- year plan— for Darius on how he feels he can develop his game and get him to play to the best of his ability," Derrick said. In Derrick's eyes, committing to Michigan was the most important de- cision Darius will make until he mar- ries someone. He grew up watching the Rose Bowl, so he knows the Big Ten well. Washington even played U-M twice during his time with the Huskies. "I know a lot about those programs and how physical they are, how they run the ball, how they play great de- fense," Derrick said. "So just to be even offered by a school of Michigan's caliber is a blessing and a high achievement in itself." Darius had planned a full slate of offi- cial visits, but his timeline sped up, and he made a pledge on May 18. When he spoke with The Wolverine, the program had already earned his father's trust, as he encouraged his son to make his own decision. "The campus is beautiful, very blue collar, very driven to be around like- minded people who want to be the lead- ers of tomorrow," Derrick said. "And I think Michigan has done that with an exceptional business program and with the alumni base they have, not just in the state of Michigan but the world. To receive a degree and to play for one of the most branded programs in all of sports is an honor and a prestige [sec- ond to] none. "Once you put on that helmet, it's pretty solidified that you're one of the great ones. All of that plays a factor for me as well. Seeing them come out in that blue is a dream of a dad. And now, it's about opportunity and fit and need, and they want my son, so I'm apprecia- tive of it." ❑ Inside Rivals300 CB Darius Johnson's Path To Michigan PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: Johnson is a long corner- back at 6-foot-1, 155 pounds with good speed. He clocked a 10.94-second 100-me- ter dash last spring. His family has a ton of college and professional football knowl- edge between his father and brother, and he thinks that puts his football IQ ahead of most high school prospects. The cornerback logged 1 interception and 10 passes defended as a junior, mak- ing 29 total tackles (22 solo, 2 sacks). He's a patient corner in coverage who tracks the ball well and has the size and length that this staff seems to covet in its de- fensive backs. In run defense, he eludes blockers well and does not hesitate to come up and make a tackle." AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: Johnson is a clear blue-chip prospect in our eyes. Rivals has him ranked higher than the industry, and I think that's on the money. He will need some time to add consider- able weight to his frame at the college level, but once he's physically prepared, he should have a chance to be an impact corner for the Wolverines." PLAYER COMPARISON: Former Michi- gan signee and Kentucky cornerback Andre Clarke — Johnson's frame, solid speed and length remind us of Clarke's skill set. — Ethan McDowell Ranked as the No. 203 overall recruit and No. 25 cornerback nationally, Johnson was a player whom Michigan locked in on as a top target early this year. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS