Southern's Danny Johnson is ready to be a leader in a veteran defensive backfield

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern's Danny Johnson led the Football Championship Subdivision with seven interceptions in 2016.

Not good enough. His goal was 10.

Johnson finished with the fourth-most total tackles and had by far the most solo tackles on the Jaguars defense last year.

Not good enough. He could have been in better position to make more stops.

Given a significant boost by Johnson, Southern finished with a Southwestern Athletic Conference record of 8-1.

Not good enough — in more ways than one.

Heading into the 2017 season, Johnson isn’t assuming a new leadership role or taking on any duties he didn't have the past three years. He has been one of the best defenders, if not the best, and a defensive leader for the Jaguars since he first stepped on campus in the summer of 2014.

But as a senior, Johnson is now the unquestioned face of the Southern defense. And while nothing may ever be good enough for a player who constantly pushes himself to be his best, that isn’t going to stop him from trying.



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