Quintavius Johnson expands role in Georgia defense

Georgia outside linebacker Quintavius Johnson followed a 14-start 2025 season with another productive stretch in 2026, contributing as a pass rusher, run defender and coverage player. Georgia lists the junior from Atlanta at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds in jersey No. 3.

Johnson recorded 35 tackles, including 21 solo stops, across 14 starts in 2025. He added 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble, three quarterback hits and three pass breakups.

His best tackle total that season came at Georgia Tech, where he made six stops, including four solo tackles and one tackle for loss. Johnson also produced 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, one forced fumble and one pass breakup at Mississippi State before registering half a sack in Georgia’s SEC Championship win over Alabama. He finished the season with two pass breakups against Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

His 2026 production includes sacks against Alabama, Auburn and Florida. In the win at Alabama, Johnson’s totals included four tackles, a fumble recovery and a five-yard sack. Against Auburn, he posted five tackles and another five-yard sack. His lone tackle against Florida was a three-yard strip sack.

Johnson also recorded tackles for loss against Western Kentucky and Tennessee State, four tackles against Oklahoma and a pass breakup against Vanderbilt. Athlon selected him to its preseason All-SEC third team.

The progression follows a reserve season in 2024, when Johnson appeared in 12 of Georgia’s 14 games. He also worked on special teams. Johnson enrolled at Georgia in January 2024 after playing at Mays High School, where he moved from quarterback to full-time defense during his junior season.

Why it matters

Johnson’s production reaches several areas of Georgia’s defense, including tackles for loss, sacks, forced fumbles and pass coverage. His move from a 2024 reserve role to a full-time starter in 2025 established him as a regular part of the outside linebacker rotation.