JORDAN JOHNSON
DeSmet High School; St. Louis, Mo.
Measurements: 6'2”, 182 lbs.Accolades: An All-American, rivals.com rates Johnson a five-star prospect, the No. 3 receiver in the country and the No. 25 prospect in the class, not to mention the top player in Missouri.
Other Notable Offers: As a five-star receiver, Johnson heard from most notable programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Ohio State. More than half the SEC chased the St. Louis product.
Projected Position: In time, Johnson should be the prototypical boundary receiver. To put that into context, he should fit in where current sophomore Kevin Austin will pick up for outgoing senior Chase Claypool who took over for third-round draft pick Miles Boykin.
Quick Take: That through-line shares a pair of traits: height and speed. Claypool and Boykin both would have towered over Austin and Johnson, both 6-foot-2 compared to their predecessors’ 6-foot-4 frames, but Austin and Johnson will still, in turn, have an advantage over most defensive backs. That ability, along with genuine straight-line speed, should make Johnson a miserable assignment for any cornerback along the sideline.
Short-Term Roster Outlook: Austin’s standing will have an immediate and direct impact on Johnson. If Austin ends up in an active and contributing role in 2020, after being suspended for all of 2019, then Johnson will be a backup, though he could still be a productive backup. Consider: Austin had five catches for 90 yards in eight games in 2018 despite occasionally aggravating the coaching staff. If Johnson can prove reliable, he could get a few snags a week given his skill set.
Long-View Depth Chart Impact: Johnson has all the markings of a mismatch. The late-career successes of Boykin and Claypool bode very well for him, if he can physically develop as they did. Presuming that, it might be foolish to project his ceiling.
✍️ ➡️ ☘️@jjohnsonj1 is #IrishBouNDXX.#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/cV8RuZFPWg
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 18, 2019