Toby Johnson Commits to Georgia: What Stud JUCO DT Brings to Bulldogs' Defense

Big-time JUCO defensive tackle Toby Johnson has committed to play football for the Georgia Bulldogs, and he represents a huge last-minute addition for Mark Richt and his staff.

Johnson is ranked as the No. 3 JUCO defensive tackle in the 2013 class, and he's the No. 8 overall JUCO player according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He has elite size at 6'4.5'', 310 pounds and he runs a 4.89 40-yard dash, according to 247Sports.

Radi Nabulsi of ESPN.com reports on the commitment via Twitter, while breaking down some of the numbers.

#Georgia adds a commitment for 2013. Juco DT Toby Johnson has committed to #UGA. #Dawgs now have 33 signees for 2013. Had 17 last year.

— Radi Nabulsi ESPN (@RadiNabulsi) February 19, 2013

Overall, this is a massive recruiting win for the Georgia and it's a great way for the Bulldogs to end the 2013 cycle. Georgia's class was strong, as it was ranked No. 12 overall by the 247Sports Composite rankings, but there's no doubting the fact that national signing day was a bit disappointing for the Bulldogs.

Georgia lost out on a number of marquee in-state recruits, and their momentum on the recruiting trail was down. Landing Johnson here will go down as big pickup for Georgia though. and he'll be bringing a lot to the table for the Bulldogs. 

Toby Johnson Via 247Sports

The big thing is his combination of size and speed. He's big enough to play the 0-technique, or nose tackle, in the 3-4 defense. His primary responsibility will be to control both A-gaps and take on double-teams, so that the linebackers can scrape over the blocks and make tackles.

He has the size to really hold the line of scrimmage, so he fits the nose tackle position perfectly. 

Where Johnson will set himself apart though is with his speed. He's quick enough to shoot the gap, "get skinny" (which essentially means turn his shoulders to create less surface area for the blocker to work with), and pursue the quarterback or ball carrier in the backfield.

Johnson should be able to make plays against the run in the backfield, and he'll definitely be effective as a pass-rusher.

Nabusli also had this to say about Johnson, per his Twitter account:

“Toby brings athleticism to UGA. People don’t realize how he moves for a guy his size at 305 lbs. He played basketball his entire career.”

— Radi Nabulsi ESPN (@RadiNabulsi) February 19, 2013

If healthy, he'll compete for starting reps from day one in Athens. He did injure his ACL and MCL back in November, so a redshirt could be a possibility. If his rehab is going well and Georgia feels like he can give it a go, expect Johnson to be a major factor at nose tackle in 2013. 

Overall, landing Johnson is a monumental recruiting win for the Bulldogs.