4 former Texas football players who turned into studs elsewhere

Caleb Johnson, LB

What is likely the most underrated recent Texas transfer to make an impact elsewhere around the college football landscape is the current UCLA Bruins junior linebacker and former JUCO transfer, Caleb Johnson. The 6-foot-1 and 230 pound former top-rated JUCO linebacker recruit stood out for the Bruins right away after landing in California out of the portal last offseason.

It did take Johnson a while to find his next landing spot out of the portal last offseason, but it was certainly worth the wait for him. The Murrieta, CA, native took his talents back closer to home last offseason, which likely had to do with a lack of playing time expected among the Texas linebackers during the 2020 campaign.

But Johnson certainly got his shot to make an immediate impact with the Bruins defense. And make an immediate impact he did for head coach Chip Kelly. UCLA struggled at times to find success in the win column last year, but you have to laud Johnson for what he did to help their case.

In his first year at the Power Five level last year, Johnson registered 44 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, one interception, and one fumble recovery, in seven games played for the Bruins. With those efforts, Johnson ranked in the top 10 in the PAC-12 in sacks, tackles for loss, and combined tackles.

Johnson is surely an impact player to watch for UCLA in 2020. If Kelly and the Bruins can find more traction in the PAC-12 South come next fall, Johnson should be a brighter national spotlight than he did during the shortened 2020 campaign in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.