Shrine Bowl, 6/2/18

The South team's Joey Johnson of Gretna makes a tackle during the Shrine Bowl on June 2, 2018, at Nebraska-Kearney's Cope Stadium in Kearney.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Nebraska inside linebackers coach Barrett Ruud hasn't been shy the past year in saying how much he thought of walk-on inside linebacker Joey Johnson. 

It appears, though, that Johnson will be continuing his college career elsewhere. 

The Gretna native and sophomore's name is in the NCAA transfer portal as of Friday, a source confirmed to the Journal Star. 

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Johnson rose to the No. 2 line at inside linebacker last year and played some against Maryland, Ohio State and Northern Illinois. With Johnson at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Ruud liked his development arc and long-term potential. 

Recently, though, Ruud and Erik Chinander have both lauded the increased depth at the position behind seniors Will Honas and Collin Miller, pointing to players such as sophomore walk-on Luke Reimer, redshirt freshmen Nick Henrich, Garrett Snodgrass and Jackson Hannah, incoming freshman Keyshawn Greene and junior college transfer Eteva Mauga-Clements. 

Contact the writer at pgabriel@journalstar.com or 402-473-7439. On Twitter @HuskerExtraPG.

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