Andrew Johnson ready for big day

For Andrew Johnson and two college football programs, July 22nd is a huge day. That's when Johnson, one of the nation's top prospects, will announce where he plans to spend his college years.

"Yes, I'm still going to make my decision on Tuesday," said the 6-foot-0, 205-pound running back from Pittsburgh (Pa.) North Hills. "It was originally going to be at PNC Park, but it's been moved to a restaurant. It will still be at 6:00 PM, and I'm glad I've been able to keep quiet about who my choice will be for so long."

Johnson has offers from many of the top programs in the nation, and coaches covet his rare combination of speed, agility, vision and strength.

"Coach Junko from Pitt and coach Daniels from Ohio State have been my primary recruiters, and they've been great. They've shown me a lot of respect. I get mail from their schools and they're really excited about my decision coming up. I don't feel too pressured though, and that means a lot to me."

Johnson doesn't want to redshirt his freshman year, and said he isn't opposed to trying offense, defense or special teams.

"I will be ready my freshman year, I know that. I've been playing NCAA Football 2004 and I create myself and recruit myself as both Pitt and Ohio State. I make myself go both ways, at running back or at corner or safety.

"I even create guys like Anthony Morelli, Ted Ginn, Marcus Freeman, Fred Davis, and James Bryant and put us on the same team. Of course, we're always great."

Johnson even plans on hooking up with a Michigan-bound friend and refining his defensive back skills.

"I'm going to start doing some drills with my friend Ryan Mundy," said Johnson. "He's going to teach me some things about playing in the secondary that I don't know yet. Pitt recruited him at Woodland Hills last year, and he just told me that it wasn't the place for him."

Johnson would be a welcome addition to either Pitt or Ohio State's recruiting classes. The Panthers are putting together one of the top classes in the East, and Ohio State already has three four-star commitments.

As a junior, Johnson rushed for 746 yards in just three games.

Click on video clip link to view prospect videos:

Note: Rivals.com recommends a high speed

connection (cable, DSL, etc.) when attempting to download video files. When

using a dialup connection, users will experience extended download times. This

service is primarily intended for users with broadband connectivity. If video

delays during buffering stage, please allow video to completely load before

playback.