There was a time in Jadar Johnson’s football career where the senior safety thought he was not good enough to play at Clemson. The Orangeburg native came to Clemson as ESPN’s No. 9 player in the state of South Carolina and had to compete for playing time with guys like Robert Smith, Travis Blanks, T.J. Green and Jayron Kearse. While Johnson didn’t think he would see his time to shine, head coach Dabo Swinney encouraged him to stay the course because he knew how special of a player and a leader Johnson would become by his last season.

“There was a time where I didn’t know if I was good enough to play for Clemson and I just wanted to go back home,” Johnson admitted at the National Championship celebration in Memorial Stadium. “Coach Swinney was there and he told me I could definitely play here, and it just gave me all the confidence in the world. Ever since then, I just felt like the most confident player on the field.”

Johnson was a difference-maker on Clemson’s solid defensive unit throughout the championship season, but he has also made an impact in the secondary since he first arrived on campus.

During the 2013 season, Johnson played in 11 games, recording 12 tackles, and did one better in 2014 with 13 tackles in 13 games. He earned his first start as a sophomore against in-state rival South Carolina. In that season, Johnson also had a sack and two interceptions, one of which he returned 60 yards for a touchdown against South Carolina State.

He continued to earn more playing time in 2015 behind two safeties who now play in the NFL. In his junior season, Johnson recorded 16 tackles and two interceptions while appearing in all 15 games that season. However, it was in the Louisville game where he made his name known to Clemson fans as his interception secured a hard-fought victory on the road. He earned his second career start in the 2015 Capital One Orange Bowl, but it was what Johnson was able to do in his senior season that will truly live on in Clemson history.

Johnson ended the 2016 championship season with 65 total tackles, two tackles for a loss of 13 yards, a team-high five interceptions, seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Not only did Johnson make big plays, but he also made them in big games. He intercepted passes in matchups against Auburn, Louisville, Florida State and South Carolina.

While Johnson’s ability to make an impact in games flourished throughout his career as a Tiger, so did his ability to lead others to success. Swinney even noted throughout the season that the leadership his seniors showed day in and day out would lead Clemson to great accomplishments.

“I have never been around a more accountable group of leaders in my life. These seniors made my job easy,” Swinney said at the championship celebration.

Johnson played a huge role in Clemson’s championship season, and his dedication and efforts were rewarded when he was named a permanent captain for the 2016 season alongside Ben Boulware, Carlos Watkins, Jordan Leggett, Jay Guillermo and Deshaun Watson.

While he was once a player who questioned if he was good enough to even play for the Tigers, he has now earned the right to be called a permanent captain of a National Championship team.