Michigan Lands DB Ricky Johnson in 2024 CFB Transfer Portal After UNLV Exit

The defending national champion Michigan Wolverines scored a significant addition to their defense via the transfer portal Saturday.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, the agents for Ricky Johnson announced that the cornerback has committed to Michigan after transferring away from UNLV.

Per 247Sports, Johnson had previously committed to Washington State on April 30, but he flipped his commitment Saturday in order to join the reigning champs.

After starring in high school in his hometown of Houston, Johnson arrived at UNLV in 2020. He was initially viewed as primarily a safety, and 247Sports rated him as a 3-star prospect, as well as the No. 152 safety in his recruiting class.

The 6'1", 180-pound defensive back went on to play four seasons at UNLV, although he only appeared in four games as a true freshman, and he missed all but three games in 2022 due to injury.

In 2021, Johnson had 25 tackles and set a career high with three interceptions, however, 2023 may have been his best season, as he had a career-high 36 tackles and seven passes defended.

As part of the 247Sports transfer rankings, Johnson was listed as a 3-star transfer and the No. 87 cornerback and No. 672 overall player in the transfer portal.

He joins a Michigan team that will benefit simply from adding players with experience after losing a ton of top talent to the 2024 NFL draft.

Thirteen Wolverines players were taken in the draft, which was the most of any school. That included five key defensive players.

Michigan also has a new head coach in Sherrone Moore after Jim Harbaugh went back to the NFL to become head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Moore has a big job ahead of him after losing so many important contributors, but given that Michigan is ranked 19th by 247Sports when it comes to its incoming class of recruits and transfers, it should remain competitive and be a contender in the Big Ten next season.