A.J. Johnson Among Sports On Earth’s Top 100 Players

The Vols don’t have a lot of players that will garner national attention this season, but there is one that will have folks talking — A.J. Johnson.

Johnson, who led the Vols in tackles the past two seasons, was among Sports On Earth’s top 100 players, compiled by Matt Brown.

The Georgia native came in at #82 on the list.

Here’s what Brown had to say about Johnson:

"The Volunteers haven’t had a lot to be happy about over the last several years, but they still have had some of the SEC’s best individual players. Few have been more reliable than Johnson, a 242-pound middle linebacker who is a three-year starter and has made 324 tackles in his Tennessee career. More from Vols FootballHow to Win a GUARANTEED $200 Bonus Betting Just $5 on the Vols vs. Florida!Tennessee Football at Florida: Five Keys to a Vols VictoryWeek 3 SEC Power Rankings: Did Tennessee Football’s Win Help At All?Week 3 AP Polls: Why Did Tennessee Football Drop in the Polls?Tennessee Football: Top Five Performers in 30-13 Win vs. Austin Peay"

Johnson led the SEC in tackles as a sophomore with 138 (fourth in NCAA). His numbers fell off a bit as a junior in 2013, but he still finished third in the SEC in tackles per game with 8.8.

Butch Jones referred to Johnson as the “quarterback of the defense” at SEC Media Days last week and stressed his importance to the football team. There’s no doubt that Johnson will be a huge part of any success the Vols have in 2014.

Johnson’s decision to return to Tennessee for his senior season was one of Jones’ biggest victories of the off season.

Not only will Johnson continue to be a playmaker on defense, but he’ll also serve as a mentor to young linebackers like Dillon Bates, Neiko Creamer and Chris Weatherd.

The Vols have some great young linebackers on the roster and Johnson is the perfect guy to help bring them along.