Commitment Breakdown: LSU beats Georgia, Miami and others for Max Johnson
THE SITUATION
In recruiting today, college coaches have to actively recruit at least two classes at one time. While Ed Orgeron and LSU are working hard to close strong in 2019, they have gotten off to a great start in 2020. Max Johnson is the No. 6 pro-style quarterback in the country and he has quietly been going through the recruiting process for two years. He does not talk about visits, he keeps to himself about his favorites and he has quietly committed to LSU.
Johnson is a national prospect with a national offer list, and he had been focused on Georgia, Miami, North Carolina, Wisconsin and LSU for some time without letting it be known.
Months ago, Johnson had let schools like Alabama and Ohio State they weren’t right for him. Johnson has camped at LSU, he has visited for numerous games and he and his family have built relationships with the coaching staff without publicizing it over the last 24 months. Now, the Tigers have beat out the in-state Bulldogs, Hurricanes, Tar Heels, Badgers and others for this Rivals100 talent.
WHY ITS BIG FOR LSU
The obvious is the obvious — Johnson is elite. Johnson is a 6-foot-4, 215 pound south-paw with a great frame, a live arm and a great understanding of the game. His father is Brad Johnson, a former Florida State and NFL quarterback, so the new LSU commit has the benefit of working day to day with someone who has played the game at the highest level.
As a passer, Johnson surprises some with his arm and his touch. He throws a beautiful deep ball and he really processes things quickly. He is very strong mentally and he is advanced when reading coverages and making decisions. What may surprise people the most about Johnson is his athleticism. He can dunk a basketball and he is more mobile than many expect. He is an all-around quarterback with size, toughness, arm strength and the ability to lead.
Many have said that LSU’s missing piece has been a top quarterback. The landed Brandon Harris in 2014 and Anthony Jennings in 2013, both had a 5.9rr, but neither was ranked near as high as Johnson is now. The only quarterback in the last decade LSU has signed that has been ranked higher than Johnson is Russell Shepard in 2009, and he went on to be used more as an athlete. That tells you how big of a get this is for those in Baton Rouge.
WHO IT HURTS MOST
This one stings in Athens. Georgia has gone hard after Johnson for well over a year. Not only did the coaching staff recruit him, but some UGA commits have been involved too. He is 10 minutes away from the Georgia campus, he is arguably their top 2020 quarterback target, and to lose him to another SEC school, is tough.
Miami is right there with Georgia and you could say Florida State. Mark Richt is his uncle, so that is a strong family connection. His father, Brad Johnson played at Florida State, so there is a tie to Tallahassee too. The Seminoles were eliminated when Willie Taggart took the job due to his offense. The Hurricanes stayed in it, but Johnson wanted to go off and do his own thing.
Another school that was very much in this race was Wisconsin. Not many were talking about the Badgers, but Johnson quietly made quite a few trips to Madison and they finished No. 2 in this race.