| Utah Utes–No. 5 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Safety |
| Class |  |
| Major | Communication |
| Personal information | |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 193 lb (88 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Thunder Ridge (Idaho Falls, Idaho) |
Tao Johnson is an American college football safety for the Utah Utes.
Johnson attended at Thunder Ridge High School located in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Coming out of high school, he committed to play college football for the Utah Utes over offers from other schools such as Washington State, Virginia, and UNLV. [1]
In his freshman season in 2022, Johnson played in fives game as a wide receiver, however heading into the 2023 season, he would switch his position to play for the Utes defense as a defensive back. [2] In week four of the 2023 season, he tallied four tackles and a fumble recovery in a victory over UCLA. [3] During the 2023 season, he played in 13 games making 12 starts, where he recorded 33 tackles with one and a half being for a loss, five pass deflections, and a fumble recovery. [4] In week two of the 2024 season, Johnson returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown in a victory versus Baylor. [5] In week five, he notched his first career interception off of quarterback Noah Fifita against Arizona. [6] Johnson finished the 2024 season, totaling 70 tackles, four pass deflections, one interception, and a forced fumble. [7]