Pitt's Nahki Johnson not weighed down with transition from defensive end to tackle

Nahki Johnson’s high school career at Steel Valley and West Mifflin was something to remember.

He committed to Pitt two months before the start of the 2019 season and went on to become, perhaps, the Big Eight Conference’s best player. He recorded eight sacks, forced four fumbles and earned the official distinction as Defensive Player of the Year.

A year later, he was ranked sixth by Rivals.com among the nation’s high school defensive ends before he enrolled at Pitt in January 2021.

In three seasons at Pitt, however, he was a reserve who appeared in 20 games, recording one tackle for a loss and one sack.

His high school memories stuck with him, and one night last year he clicked on the projector. There he was making plays while lined up as an interior lineman.

He decided it was time for a change.

“I realized I played a lot of inside technique (in high school),” said Johnson, a four-year starter in high school. “I went up to coach P (former Pitt defensive line coach Charlie Partridge) and I asked him, ‘Try me inside.’ When I went inside, they liked what they saw and we just made the switch permanent.”

And that’s where he’s lining up in training camp this month after putting on 20 pounds from 260 to 280.

Count West Mifflin coach Rod Steele, who also coached Johnson at Steel Valley, among those who believe the position switch will work just fine.

“The thing about Nahki is he’s got a pretty quick twitch,” said Steele, who believes tackle is Johnson’s natural position. “That’s what used to separate him from other linemen.”

Gaining the requisite weight for the rigors of inside defensive line play was the easy part.

“Kid you not, the week after the (2023) season was over,” Johnson said, “I went to my mom’s house for about two weeks. Came back (to campus), started lifting and I was 20 pounds heavier.”

During those two weeks, Annette Reed cooked for her son, and he couldn’t resist.

“Everything she makes, I love,” he said.

Actually, the transition from defensive end was not as difficult as others might think, he said. At end, he was on the edge with open space on one side of him. At tackle, he is surrounded by big-bodied teammates, while guards and centers — some weighing 300 pounds or more — come charging at him.

“I really feel more comfortable inside,” he said, noting he was not uncomfortable outside.

“Change wasn’t that drastic. Just put on a couple more pounds, play just like I was playing and get off the ball. I just enjoy playing football. I enjoy everything that it comes with. You have to grind more, do a lot more things inside, taking on a lot bigger guys, taking on double teams, taking on more weight. I think I have a really good chance this year to do big things.”

Johnson is excited about transitioning inside — a move that gets its first real test Tuesday when players put on full pads for the first time — but there is even a stronger motivating force for him. Pitt finished eighth among 15 ACC teams in run defense in 2023 (150.2 yards per game), an embarrassing total for coach Pat Narduzzi.

“Just knowing what it feels like to (fail) against the run makes us never want to go back to that,” Johnson said. “When you hit rock bottom, you know what it feels like and you never want to be at that rock bottom.”

Johnson lined up inside in the last game of the season, a 30-19 loss at Duke, and he has watched that film, too, to monitor his progress as a defensive tackle.

Narduzzi has noticed a change in Johnson’s performance.

“If Nahki Johnson can consistently give it to you, every day, every play, he could be a beast inside,” the coach said. “There are plays you see him, ‘Wow.’ We need that high level all the time to make him really good.”

Narduzzi said he doesn’t expect Johnson to need a transition period to get accustomed to the additional weight. And he’s plenty big enough to do what Pitt will require their interior defenders to do.

“We’re not asking him to be 315,” he said. “We want him to be athletic. We like his athletic ability. We’re looking for dudes who can go vertical. Quicker guys who can run. We’re not going to sit there and play base defense like a lot of people do. We’re going to move and try to make plays in the backfield.”

Remember: Calijah Kancey became a first-round draft choice after playing defensive tackle in 2022 at 280 pounds.

Joining Johnson on the inside are Central Valley’s Sean FitzSimmons, probably a starter if there was a game to play this week. Junior Elliot Donald, sophomore Isaiah Neal, Indiana transfer Nick James and former Jeannette player Anthony Johnson, a transfer from Youngstown State, also will compete for playing time. All will be pushed by freshman tackle Francis Brewu, possibly the strongest guy on the team, according to all accounts.

“Definitely, it’s not even an argument,” Nahki Johnson said. “What I saw him do in the weight room, I never saw anybody do anything like it.”

Added center Terrence Moore: “We’ve got guys who have been here three, four (years), even myself, (who) aren’t putting up the numbers he is.”