6 days ago
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Nobody was likely happier about Kahmel Johnson’s recent commitment to UCF than his mother, Jesika.
“My momma was going crazy. She was crying and [was emotional],” Johnson shared with the Sentinel on Sunday, just hours after he signed with the Knights from the transfer portal.
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It’s a homecoming, of sorts, for the 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive back, who hails from Jacksonville, where he excelled at football and track and field at Riverside High School before leaving the state to play at Wayne State College, a Division II school in Nebraska.
Johnson is coming off a breakout season with the Wildcats, earning a spot on the first-team, All-NSIC after totaling 37 tackles and 3 interceptions for a team that finished 7-4 and was the runner-up to Augustana University in the South Division of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
The redshirt freshman entered the transfer portal in November and it wasn’t long before he was on UCF’s radar.
“I took a visit to South Dakota State before visiting UCF,” said Johnson, who also received offers from several Group of Five schools. “I took my visit to UCF and I was the first one there. It felt good because I would be down the street from Jacksonville [and my family].
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“The support system that I have in Florida is just unmatched. Money can’t really buy that.”
Johnson joins a UCF secondary that returns starters in cornerbacks Antione Jackson and Jayden Bellamy and safeties Demari Henderson and Braeden Marshall. New defensive backs coach Will Johnson and defensive coordinator and safeties coach Alex Grinch will oversee the unit.
“The coaching staff made me feel at home,” said Johnson. “They’re going to push me, but they’re going to be a good support system as well. Teach me a lot and push me to a place that I feel like I need to be for UCF.”
Although Johnson predominantly played as a free safety at Wayne State, he is confident that he can take on nearly any role in the secondary.
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“I really do believe I can play anywhere on the field,” he said. “I learned the position well and I’ll excel anywhere because I’m a real elusive guy. I can do pretty much anything on the field, but I love safety, whether it’s playing safety, boundary, or free, it doesn’t really matter. I can play nickel, too. That’s something Coach Grinch also told me. He sees me excelling in all three of those positions.”
For now, Johnson is excited about the possibilities in front of him at UCF. That includes playing in front of his family and friends. He is also engaged and has a 5-month-old son, Kahmel Jr., which provides even more incentives for this season.
Still, there is plenty to work on through spring and fall camps.
“I’ve got three years of eligibility still, so I’m trying to put in as much work as I can all around,” said Johnson, who knows he has plenty to improve on. “I’m a pretty explosive athlete as I am right now, but I think I can become way more explosive. I think I can definitely improve.”
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
English (US) ·