When Notre Dame football was tasked with replacing elite defensive backs coach Mike Mickens, who left for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason, a lot of pressure was put on head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish. In terms of position coaches, Mickens left as one of the very best in program history. His impact as a recruiter, coach, and developer of talent can’t be understated. He is the elite of the elite.

It appears that Notre Dame has found their replacement for Mickens, opting for former Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry. While Henry’s results as a defensive playcaller weren’t pristine, his reputation as a developer is very high. Just over the last two seasons, two of Henry’s former players earned All-Pro honors on the NFL level – Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph in 2024, and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon this past season. Add in Quan Martin (Washington Commanders), Tony Adams (New York Jets), Sydney Brown (Philadelphia Eagles), Tanner Ingle (Los Angeles Rams), and Nick McCloud (Chicago Bears), and you have an impressive resume of putting players into the NFL.

Henry now walks into a defensive back room that is as deep and talented as he has ever had. That includes All-American cornerback Leonard Moore, Christian Gray, Colorado transfer DJ McKinney, Adon Shuler, Tae Johnson, Luke Talich, Dallas Golden, Mark Zackery IV, and an elite 2026 class that has just enrolled. There is going to be an interesting question about which member of this talented secondary is going to profit the most by working with Henry. Each option has an interesting argument, but for me, one player stands out most – Tae Johnson.

Moore is going to be a great player, but that is expected at this point. Shuler is a really good football player, but everyone already knows that. Perhaps either Gray or McKinney profits most, but we are still figuring out where each player fits positionally. While Johnson broke out a good bit in 2025, there is still another huge step to take, and luckily for Johnson, Henry has had a lot of success with a player very similar to him.

Is Tae Johnson the next Kerby Joseph?

In ten games as a redshirt freshman this past season, Johnson showcased the type of talent that he had coming out in the 2024 recruiting class. Johnson managed to collect 48 total tackles, four interceptions, three more pass breakups, and a half tackle for loss. The 6-2, 195-pound safety has a tremendous combination of length, range, and ball skills on the back end.

That combination is eerily similar to Joseph, who has become one of the very best ball hawks in the NFL. In four seasons on the professional level, the former Illinois star has managed to collect 265 total tackles, 20 interceptions, 35 pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. Many of Joseph’s best moments are as a single high free safety, which we also saw during his time with the Illini.

Joseph was a backup for the most part during his Illinois career. He proceeded to breakout during his final season in 2021, earning All-Big Ten honors after making 57 total tackles, five interceptions, and two pass breakups. The looseness as an athlete was something to watch, as were his instincts working from depth. Despite not having the greatest long speed, Joseph’s long strides and length allowed him to cover a lot of ground.

It wouldn’t be overly surprising to see Johnson play more of that role as a redshirt sophomore in 2025. After being a very good player for the Irish last season, he has a chance to become a college football star in 2026. That comparison to Joseph will be one that I will be watching all season. If Johnson can become that type of player next fall, this Notre Dame secondary has a chance to become an elite one once again.

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