Nahki Johnson signed with Pitt as one of the best defensive end prospects in the country in the class of 2021. The former four-star prospect out of West Mifflin High School had plenty of suitors, but came to Pitt to be that next great defensive end for the program.

He chose to play for the Panthers after Pitt had two All-American defensive ends in the 2020 season, but as Johnson enters his fourth year with the program, he has not made the impact many had envisioned for him. Johnson has played in a total of 20 games over his first three years with nine career tackles.

When searching for a way to make more of an impact, Johnson actually returned to his roots, so to speak. The former West Mifflin star watched his old high school highlights, and one thing he noticed about them, is that he played inside quite a bit. Johnson was able to use his quickness to sneak past guards with relative ease back in high school.

So when looking for a way to get on the field, he figured, why not move inside to defensive tackle and use that quickness to blow past interior linemen at the college level.

“When Coach P (Charlie Partridge) was still here, I went up to Coach P and I asked him. I’m like, ‘try me inside, see what I could do inside.’ So when I went inside, they liked what they saw and we just made the switch permanent. I feel like I’ve got a really good chance this year of doing big things.”

Johnson has officially kicked inside and has as good of a chance as anyone to make an impact, or even start this upcoming season. With nearly every defensive tackle snap from last year either having graduated or hitting the portal, the opportunity is there for Johnson to finally get that every down role he has been searching for since he arrived as a freshman ahead of the 2021 campaign.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi mentioned Johnson ahead of Monday’s practice as a player who could be really good, as long as he remains consistent.

"If Nahki Johnson consistently would give it to you every day, every play, he could be a beast inside,” said the Panthers’ head coach. “Just stay consistent. We just need that high level all the time to make him really good.”

The transition for Johnson has mostly been seamless according to him. He feels he has been able to keep his same skill set for the most part, just playing a little big closer to the opposing team's center.

“I mean, the change really wasn't that drastic,” Johnson explained. “Just put on a couple more pounds and just kept playing how I was playing, get off the ball, striking my man. Really wasn't that drastic. I guess the weight is probably the biggest thing you have to really worry about with the change.”

Johnson played last season in the 260-pound range, but is closer to 280-pounds these days. So how easy was it to add 20 pounds and maintain his athleticism? A quick trip to see his mother over the offseason.

“I kid you not, the week after the season was over, I went to my mom's house for about two weeks,” Johnson explained. “Came back, started lifting, and I was 20 pounds heavier, and that was just that.”

When Johnson hits the field against Kent State on August 31st for Pitt’s season opener, it won’t be his first live action as a defensive tackle in a game. This move sort of started at the tail end last season, and he got a few snaps inside in Pitt’s 2023 season finale against Duke.

“I've had a couple practices where they would throw me in a d-tackle, do a couple good things,” Johnson said. “And I still do go back and watch that Duke game, though, just to see how my game has changed.”

The Pitt coaching staff is hoping he has changed personally, and really the defensive line as a whole. A calling card for this program over the years has been dominating against the run and being one of the best pass rushing teams in the country, two elements that weren’t exactly there for last year’s 3-9 team.

Even though Johnson was not always on the field, he took some of those results personally.

“Just knowing what it feels like to suck against the run, if that makes sense,” Johnson said on how he hopes the unit improves defensively. “Just knowing what it's like to not be good against the run makes us never want go back to that. Whenever you hit rock bottom, you know what it feels like, and you never wanna be at that rock bottom ever again.”

When Johnson was in high school, it wasn’t that he was so much an end or a tackle, but rather just a good football player. He lined up everywhere and that is what attracted many schools to recruit him. There are plenty of lessons to take from his journey to this point in hopes of having his best season yet in 2024.

“I just enjoy playing football, I’m not going to lie,” said Johnson. “I enjoy everything that it comes with. Going to the D-tackle, I just love the transition. I love everything it comes with. I love how I’ve got grind more, do a lot more things inside with taking on a lot of bigger guys.”