D'Anta Johnson

Position:
Defensive Line
Height:
6-2
Weight:
294
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Dinwiddie, Va.
High School:
Dinwiddie
Major:
Communication

Career Notes: Four-year letterman (2021-24) that appeared in 45 career games making 30 starts … Tallied 94 stops (34 solo) over with 18.0 TFLs (-58 yards) and 6.5 sacks (-34.5 yards) … Since 2022, has logged 1,299 total snaps (1,232 defense, 82 special teams) … Registered at least one tackle in 32 of 45 contests (multiple 25 times) … Helped ECU to three bowl game appearances posting a 2-0 record with wins over Coastal Carolina (2022) and NC State (2024) … Closed out career having started 24 consecutive games dating back to the second contest in 2023 … Established single-game career-highs in tackles (7/CIN ’22), sacks (2.0/TLN ’23) and TFLs (2.5/TLN ’23).

2024: Named College Football Network All-AAC Honorable Mention … Started all 13 games logging 520 snaps (488 defense, 32 special teams) earning fourth varsity letter … Booked 41 total stops (13 solo) with 6.5 TFLs (-15 yards) that included 1.5 sacks (-5 yards) … Credited with one quarterback hurry (North Texas) … Recorded at least one tackle in 12 of 13 games (multiple on 11 occasions) … In 11 of 13 contests, he was credited with three or more tackles … Registered five times twice (Norfolk State, Tulsa) … Credited with TFLs against Norfolk State (1.0/-2 yards), Appalachian State (0.5/-1 yard), UTSA (1.5/-3 yards), Temple (0.5/-4 yards), Tulsa (1.5/-2 yards), North Texas (1.0/-2 yards) and NC State (0.5/-1 yard) … Sacks came against UTSA (1.0/-1 yard) and Temple (0.5/-4 yards) … Credited with a blocked PAT against Navy, one of two Pirate blocks on the season … Member of a defensive unit that stood among the NCAA FBS leaders in red zone defense (13th/74.5 pct), tackles for loss (14th/7.2 pg), turnovers gained (27th/22) and 4th down conversion percentage defense (29th/45.7 percent) … One of 22 players to receive Captain’s Award … Nine-time gameday captain … First Team Preseason All-AAC selection by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Magazine in 2024 ... Named Third Team All-AAC by College Football Network.

2023: Named Second-Team All-American Athletic Conference by the leagues head coaches (11/29) ... Named to Pro Football Focus (PFF) Week 10 Defensive Team of the Week for his play against No. 21 Tulane ... Appeared in all 12 games making 11 starts earning third varsity letter … Logged 484 total snaps (449 defense, 35 special teams) … Recorded 32 tackles (15 solo) … Credited with 9.5 TFLs (-29 yards) which included 4.0 sacks (-17 yards) … Forced one fumble and had one quarterback hurry … Tallied at least one tackle 11 of 12 games (multiple on 10 occasions) … Registered career-best two sacks (minus two yards) and 2.5 TFLs (-3 yards) … Credited with sacks against UTSA (1.0/-9 yards), Tulane (2.0) and Florida Atlantic (1.0/-6 yards) … Also added TFLs against Marshall (1.0), Gardner-Webb (1.0), Rice (1.0), Charlotte (0.5), UTSA (2.5) and FAU (2.0).

2022: One of four team captains for the Pirates … Started seven of 10 contests during third year with the program earning second varsity … Logged 295 snaps (280 defense, 15 special teams) … Booked 18 stops (three solo) … Credited with 1.0 TFL (-2 yards) on the season … Made first career start against NC State where he logged 41 snaps and tallied two stops (one solo) … Also had 41 snaps at Temple … Credited with on quarterback hurry (UCF) and one pass breakup (BYU) … Registered half TFLs against UCF (-1 yard) and Cincinnati (-1 yard) … Recorded at least one stop in six of 10 contests (multiple four times) … Tallied career-high seven tackles (all assisted) at Cincinnati … Added four stops at BYU and three at Temple.

2021: Played in eight of ECU’s 12 games earning first career varsity letter … Credited with a pair of solo hits on the season (1/UCF, 1/Houston) … Registered first career quarterback hurry in the fourth quarter against Cincinnati.

2020: Appeared in in a pair of games during initial year with the Pirates … Booked one tackle, which was a 12-yard sack against SMU in the third quarter … Made collegiate debut at Temple but did not record any statistics.

High School: Earned three letters for coach Billy Mills and Dinwiddie program … Helped lead the Generals to a trio of state playoff appearances as an anchor on both lines of scrimmage … Credited with 84 stops (53 solo), 29.0 TFLs, 13.5 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, five batted passes, a fumble recovery, a blocked punt and a safety in 10 games as a senior … Established a DHS single-game standard with six sacks vs. Petersburg on Oct. 4 … Top tackle outing was 12 vs. Prince George (9 solo) and also produced 11 and 10 stop totals vs. Massaponax and Petersburg, respectively … Guided the Generals (7-6 overall) to Class 4A playoff wins over Monacan (49-27) and Eastern View (25-17) before falling to Patrick Henry (13-6) … Played in 12 contest as a junior in 2018, booking 61 tackles (36 solo), 19.0 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, two fumble recoveries, a pair of forced fumbles and one batted pass … Contributed a season-best 11 stops (5.0 TFLs) vs. Salem and Hopewell … Considered a key member of an 11-2 DHS squad that captured 4A postseason victories over Courtland (26-18) and Monacan (38-32) before exiting playoffs with a 45-35 loss to Eastern View … Helped Dinwiddie to a 12-1 (7-0 league) mark during first varsity season … Recorded 29 tackles (15 solo) and 9.0 TFLs in just seven outings … Posted a season-high eight stops vs. Huguenot in 2017 … Generals downed Huguenot (54-20) and Eastern View (40-37) prior to ending their season with a 38-27 setback to Louisa County … Played on junior varsity squad as a freshman in 2016 … A three-star selection who ranked among Virginia’s Top 50 prospects according to 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Also received offers from UCF, Kent State and Liberty … Earned additional letters as a wrestler (produced a 47-1 record in the 285-pound weight class, won the 4B Regional title and finished third in the Class 4 state meet) and track (all-region performer who competed in the shot and discus) … Named DHS Male Athlete-of-the-Year in 2018 … Served as a ball boy for the 2013 Dinwiddie varsity squad that finished 15-0 and won the Virginia State 4-A championship as an 11-year-old.

Personal: First name is pronounced dee-ANTAY … Nickname is Tae ... Officially signed with East Carolina on Dec. 19, 2019, … Earned undergraduate degree in communication in December of 2024.