Quintavius “Q” Johnson has quickly become a key piece of Georgia’s defense at outside linebacker, but his path to that role is anything but typical.

He began his high school career playing quarterback at Mays in Atlanta before transitioning to defense — a shift that revealed the physicality, instincts and competitive edge that now define his game.

Johnson entered college as a three-star recruit, but three years into his Georgia career, the ranking attached to his name when he arrived in Athens means little.

What matters now is the trust he has earned from Kirby Smart and his teammates.

“What I’m at right now is just improving as a player and just giving the people what they expect out of me and just living up to the standard that’s around here,” Johnson said on  Wednesday, Aug. 25. “And knowing that the people around here trust me and believe in me.”

That trust has helped turn Johnson from a young player learning Georgia’s expectations into one of the veterans responsible for passing them along.

Johnson’s leadership role

Johnson is next up in a long lineage of standout outside linebackers at Georgia, and with a young group around him, his role extends well beyond what he does on the field.

With Auburn transfer Amaris Williams sidelined by injury, Johnson brings valuable experience to the room. More importantly, he understands that younger players are watching how he approaches each day.

“Just live by it every day and know that people are watching me, know the younger guys around me are watching me,” Johnson said. “So just giving them something to look up to basically or leave a story behind, something like that.”

Johnson knows what that looks like because he experienced it himself.

He pointed to former Georgia outside linebackers Mykel Williams and Chaz Chambliss as players who helped show him the standard when he arrived in Athens.

“The guys that remind me of myself or that I try to live behind are like Mykel Williams or Chaz Chambliss,” Johnson said. “Those guys showed me a standard when I was coming in.”

Now, Johnson is trying to provide that same example for Khamari Brooks, Chase Linton and Darren Ikinnagbon.

He also continues to learn from those around him. Johnson spoke highly of teammate Gabe Harris, describing him as someone he looks up to and whose approach he studies.

“Gabe, man, that’s my man, on and off the field, that’s like my buddy,” Johnson said. “So I talk to him, I get to pick his mind, and that’s the guy that I look up to.”

That balance — learning from the veterans while becoming a veteran younger players can lean on — is where Johnson’s leadership has continued to evolve.

“I know that I can be a lot better,” Johnson said. “I know that I get better every day just attacking the day. But just becoming a better vocal leader … showing the younger guys the way around.”

Becoming a veteran at EDGE

Last season, in his first year with a featured role, Johnson recorded 35 tackles, including 21 solo stops, six tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble and three pass breakups.

This year, Georgia will lean on him even more.

Johnson said the entire outside linebacker room has grown more comfortable in the defense, particularly when it comes to rushing the passer.

“As a room, I can say as a room, we’re so much more comfortable in our defense as pass rushing,” Johnson said. “Pass rushing out of six, pass rushing out of five.”

New outside linebackers coach Larry Knight has emphasized the details that go into winning those situations, something Johnson believes begins before the ball is even snapped.

“Every play begins with sight,” Johnson said. “That goes on a different standpoint of seeing the keys and knowing your keys.”

Johnson said that learning formations, recognizing blocks, and understanding what an offense is trying to do give the defense an advantage. On the pass-rush side, the focus is on winning early downs and creating favorable situations on third down.

“Knowing that winning first and second now will give us the leverage to pass rush the quarterback,” Johnson said.

His growing understanding of the defense extends beyond his position, too.

Johnson said working with defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann has helped him better understand why Georgia makes certain calls in different situations rather than simply knowing his assignment.

“I learn something from Schumann every day,” Johnson said. “He teaches us football every day.”

That knowledge has helped Johnson see the game differently as he enters his junior season.

“Just knowing the game, knowing situational football … would make me a better player this year than I was last year,” he said.

The result is a player who believes he can be significantly better than he was a year ago — not because he has suddenly discovered a new ability, but because he understands the game and Georgia’s defense at a deeper level.

Living Up to the Standard

Johnson’s toughness is another part of what has made him a trusted piece of Georgia’s defense.

Smart praised that toughness before Johnson met with reporters, but Johnson doesn’t view it as anything unusual. He sees it as a product of spending three years in Georgia’s demanding environment.

“Just from here, basically, being here three years, seeing the standard, and going through all these different practices,” Johnson said. “Like today, we have a Bloody Tuesday, just going out there, iron sharpens iron mentality, going out there to get better.”

That mentality has carried Johnson from quarterback at Mays to a starting-caliber SEC outside linebacker.

Now, he’s trying to make sure the next group of Bulldogs understands what it takes to play at Georgia.

Johnson also changed his jersey number from No. 33 to No. 3 this offseason, a number worn by several accomplished Georgia defenders.

“It’s a blessing to wear that number three,” Johnson said. “I feel like knowing all the history and things like that for those guys that came in to Georgia wearing that number three, it’s a big role.”

For Johnson, the number is another reminder of the expectations that come with playing at Georgia.

“So just living up to that standard, basically just playing the ball how it’s supposed to be played around here.”

And that may best describe where Johnson is in his Georgia career.

He is no longer the young player learning from Mykel Williams and Chaz Chambliss. He is now the veteran younger players are watching. He is still learning from players such as Harris and from coaches such as Schumann and Knight, but he’s also becoming the example he once needed.

For a player who has already made one major position transition in his football career, Johnson’s next evolution is clear: from learning the standard to becoming the standard.

“Being in the right place at the right time, doing your job, being that man on the field,” Johnson said.