Alabama DL Commit Kamhariyan Johnson Wrecks Offenses Early — 3 Tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 Sacks, and 5 QB Pressures in Senior Season Opener: “This Dude’s Already Playing Bama Ball”
Alabama fans, go ahead and get excited — Kamhariyan Johnson is looking every bit like the next monster in the trenches. In his senior season opener Thursday night, the future Crimson Tide defensive lineman put on an absolute clinic: three tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and five quarterback pressures. And that’s just the stat sheet. Anyone who watched that game knows the numbers barely do it justice. The kid was everywhere. Disrupting plays, collapsing the pocket, playing with a motor that didn’t shut off until the final whistle. One game in, and it’s already obvious — this dude is built for Tuscaloosa.
The beauty of Kamhariyan’s performance wasn’t just the production — it was the attitude. The way he came off the snap, how he read the play, how he handled double teams like he’s been doing it for years. This isn’t just raw athleticism. This is technique, strength, and straight-up violence in the trenches. He plays like he knows what it means to be committed to Alabama. Like he’s got something to prove, not just to his opponents, but to the standard the Crimson Tide sets for defensive linemen. And if this is just week one, buckle up — we’re in for something special this season.
Opposing linemen had no answer for him. Quarterbacks were throwing off their back foot all night, and running backs were swallowed up before they could even look for a hole. Kamhariyan wasn’t just winning one-on-one matchups — he was forcing offenses to change their plans. You could see it. The play-calling shifted. The blocking assignments changed. But none of it mattered. He kept finding a way to get through. That level of disruption is rare at the high school level, and even rarer when it looks this polished this early. It wasn’t just a good performance — it was dominant.
When Alabama landed Johnson, it was already viewed as a major recruiting win. He’s got that SEC-ready frame, a strong work ethic, and the kind of physicality that Bama fans love. But what we’re seeing now is even more exciting. We’re seeing a player who’s not coasting through his senior year as a locked-in commit. He’s pushing harder. He’s treating every snap like an audition — not to get recruited, but to prove he belongs with the best defensive line tradition in college football. That’s the kind of mindset that separates the good from the great. That’s Bama DNA.
There’s always been something different about Kamhariyan. Watch his tape, and you’ll see flashes of guys like Jonathan Allen, Quinnen Williams, and Da’Ron Payne. The way he uses leverage, the way he bends around the edge when lined up wide, and the explosion he brings when he stunts through the middle — it’s advanced. He doesn’t just run fast in a straight line. He plays the position like a technician, with his hands, his hips, and his feet all working in sync. You don’t see that often in high school, and it makes you wonder what he’s going to look like once he gets into a college weight room and learns under Freddie Roach.
This opening performance is going to send a message, not just to fans, but to everyone across the country who might’ve overlooked his name. There’s a lot of big-time talent in the 2025 class, especially on the defensive line. But if Johnson keeps this pace up, he’s going to shoot up rankings, take over headlines, and walk into Alabama next summer as one of the most college-ready players in the nation. He’s not a project. He’s a playmaker. And he’s just getting started.
The energy around Kamhariyan is contagious. His teammates feed off it. His coaches talk about him like he’s already on another level. And the fans — especially the ones in Tuscaloosa — are starting to pay attention. They know what dominant defensive linemen look like. They’ve seen them come through and wreck shop every fall for the last two decades. And this kid? He’s got that same look. That same fire. That same drive. The idea of plugging him into that Bama defense in a year or two should have SEC offensive coordinators sweating already.
His senior season is only just beginning, but it feels like a movie already. Every week, more scouts will be at his games. Every Friday night will come with more hype. And Kamhariyan Johnson’s mission will stay the same: dominate. He’s not trying to coast through his final high school season. He’s trying to get better, stronger, smarter. He’s trying to be more than just a blue-chip recruit — he’s trying to be elite. The type of guy who walks into the Alabama locker room and earns playing time as a freshman. That’s the level he’s chasing. And after what we saw in week one, it’s not out of reach at all.
It’s also a reminder of what kind of talent Alabama continues to bring in. Even with all the changes in college football — NIL, the transfer portal, coaching shake-ups — the Tide still attracts dudes who play with grit and pride. Kamhariyan isn’t chasing flash. He’s chasing greatness. He wants to be developed. He wants to be challenged. And he wants to win. That’s why he chose Alabama. And performances like the one he just dropped prove he belongs right there with the best of them.
His journey is going to be fun to follow. Not just because he’s putting up wild numbers, but because of how seriously he’s taking it. He’s not satisfied. After the game, you wouldn’t catch him bragging or posting stats. He was locked in. Already thinking about next week. That kind of focus, paired with the freaky athleticism he already has, makes him dangerous. It makes him the kind of player that Alabama fans get behind early and stay behind for years. The kind of guy you circle on the roster before fall camp even starts and think, “Yeah, this one’s special.”
It’s going to be exciting to see how he grows over the course of the season. As more teams start game-planning for him, he’ll face new challenges — triple teams, quicker throws, misdirection plays. But that’s only going to sharpen him. He’s going to adjust. That’s what the best do. And from what we’ve already seen, Kamhariyan has the football IQ and the motor to keep making plays no matter what’s thrown at him. You can bet his coaches are already drawing up ways to free him up, but even when he’s not free, he’s going to make noise.
And let’s not forget — this is high school football. There aren’t a lot of 17 or 18-year-olds walking around with this kind of frame, this kind of explosiveness, and this kind of understanding of how to dominate the line of scrimmage. He looks like he belongs in a college game already. It’s hard to imagine he won’t be making an impact in Tuscaloosa sooner rather than later. With the kind of physical tools he has and the mindset he’s showing, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him crack the rotation early in his college career.
So here we are, just one game into his senior year, and Kamhariyan Johnson is already turning heads across the country. Alabama fans have every reason to be pumped. The coaching staff has to be grinning from ear to ear watching the film. And opposing high school offenses? They’re probably dreading the next time they have to see him lined up across from them. Because when Kamhariyan hits the field, it’s not just another game — it’s a warning shot to the rest of college football. Alabama’s next great defensive lineman is on the way.
The foundation is there. The tools are there. The mindset is there. Now it’s about staying healthy, staying hungry, and continuing to dominate every week. If his senior season opener is any indication, we’re in for a hell of a ride. And once he gets to Tuscaloosa, don’t be surprised if Kamhariyan Johnson becomes a name you hear on Saturdays a lot sooner than expected. He’s got that “it” factor, and Alabama fans better get used to it — because he’s bringing that fire with him straight to Bryant–Denny.
Roll Tide.
