Tao Johnson
Tao Johnson
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. Third year in the Utah secondary, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 9 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Kansas — Week 14, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career Arc
Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Kyle Whittingham.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Morgan Scalley
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR05 · Part-time starter
Part-time starter. Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 13 · 2025
W 51–47
vs Kansas State
5 TOT · 3 SOLO
Edged out Kansas State at home in a shootout.
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Utah
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Safety · Utah
Returning around him
- 3 Utah players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -3 net (17 in / 20 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Utah · Last season: 11-2 (AP #15) · Talent rank #44 · 2026 recruiting class #27
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Myles Slusher’s 2021 season.
Matches Myles on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Kalen Carroll's junior season at Central Michigan (2025).
Matches Kalen on