IOWA CITY, Iowa – Jaleel Johnson has worked his way up the depth chart since arriving at Iowa as a highly-regarded recruited. The time has arrived for the junior defensive tackle from Chicago.

Gone to the NFL are last year’s starters at his position, Carl Davis and Louis Trinca-Pasat. Johnson steps in as the most experienced inside presence on the defensive front.

Johnson welcomes the challenge of his increased role. He talked about that and his view of the defense as a whole in this interview from the team’s annual Kids Day on Saturday here at Kinnick Stadium: