Ranking the Contenders: Justin Johnson
Four-star running back Justin Johnson of Edwardsville, Ill., is still hoping to take official visits before he has to make a commitment, and his current timetable for a decision should make that possible. With time left in this recruitment, we order the strongest contenders in pursuit of the versatile back from the St. Louis area.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
1. WEST VIRGINIA
An official visit with West Virginia was scheduled for June, but quickly erased when the NCAA extended the dead period out until July 31. That missed visit is not a big problem for Johnson, however, because he has already made a couple previous visits to Morgantown. Johnson has a feel for the school, for the campus and for the coaches, but said he is still anxious to get the players’ perspectives. West Virginia already landed a four-star running back in this class, but Johnson continues to remain a top target.
2. CAL
Cal does not spend a lot of recruiting capital in the Midwest, but it has a real shot with Johnson who is a strong student planning to major in mechanical engineering. Beyond academics, the relationship Johnson is building with running backs coach Aristotle Thompson is another positive factor playing in Cal’s favor. The hurdle, however, is that the Golden Bears offered in April after the current dead period started and have yet to host the four-star running back on campus.
3. LOUISVILLE
Scott Satterfield’s offense continues to pump out 1,000-yard rushers year after year, so it is no surprise a top-ranked back like Johnson is attracted to Louisville. The Cardinals got a later start in this recruitment, offering in February. That relationship has largely been built during this current dead period, but if Johnson’s current timetable for a decision remains intact then Louisville is likely one of the first trips he takes. It is the closest campus to his St. Louis-area home of the five on this list.
4. MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State had great success recruiting Illinois under Mark Dantonio, and Mel Tucker has shown early in his tenure that he plans to mine the Land of Lincoln for top prospects as well. The offer to Johnson was tendered in mid-March. He called it “a huge offer,” and has been building a relationship with position coach William Peagler. Shortly after, though, the Spartans landed a running back commitment and their pursuit of Johnson may not be as aggressive as others on this list.
5. WASHINGTON STATE
After offering in April, it’s unclear when Washington State is going to be able to get Johnson on campus, and if that can happen before his planned late-September decision. First-year head coach Nick Rolovich is changing the Washington State offense over from the “Air Raid” of Mike Leach to a Run-and-Shoot. That means going from throwing the ball 80 percent of the time to about 60 percent of the time. Johnson is an excellent pass-catching back, but he also can provide the downhill running needed to keep defenses honest.