Rivals250 CB Lorando Johnson commits to LSU over Texas A&M, Arkansas

In the aftermath of his return to Baton Rouge for the Tigers’ spring game, Lorando Johnson announced his commitment to LSU over Texas A&M and Arkansas.

Johnson, a Rivals250 cornerback, included the Tigers in his top three close to December after being offered on a visit to campus. It’s important to note that the Lancaster (Texas) High School four-star originally hails from New Orleans, but relocated to the Dallas metro area in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina over a decade ago.

"They are always in contact," Johnson said of the Tigers at RCS Dallas a month ago. "They’re telling me that they want me to come back home.”

Johnson becomes the second defensive back in LSU’s 2020 recruiting class -- joining five-star Elias Ricks -- and the third prospect out of Texas along with four-stars Courtland Ford and Alec Bryant.

LSU reeled in an impressive haul of defensive backs in the Class of 2019, particularly at cornerback with five-star Derek Stingley Jr. as the headliner as Rivals’ top-ranked prospect in the country. Coach Ed Orgeron also signed several potential stars in Raydarious Jones, Cordale Flott, Jay Ward and Maurice Hampton to pepper the team’s depth in the secondary.

Johnson fits the ideal mold of an LSU cornerback. He’s 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds and uses every bit of his length and size to give fits to opposing wide receivers. The four-star cornerback ranks just outside the Rivals100, but has a case to join that group after punching his ticket to the Rivals Five-Star Challenge after turning in an impressive performance at RCS Dallas last month.

Johnson thrives at reading the quarterback with the lateral ability and quickness to track the ball in the air. His elite speed allows him to easily stick with wide receivers and he’s disciplined enough to bite on good routes and pump fakes. He’s a smart football player that can defend well in man situations. Often lined up one-on-one against wide receivers, Johnson rarely gets beat deep and makes a ton of plays jumping routes.

Additionally, the four-star is OK in run defense. The Lancaster coaches take advantage of Johnson’s speed as a blitzer off the edge. It’s the same type of speed that defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond covet in their personnel.

Texas A&M is still reeling after losing a verbal commitment from three-star cornerback Major Burns a month ago. The Aggies are sitting pretty with Rivals100 cornerback Jaylon Jones, another Five-Star Challenge invitee, but are aiming for a big secondary haul. Johnson was a priority in-state target that’s now off the board, which will force Coach Jimbo Fisher to shift his focus onto other talented defensive backs. Rivals250 cornerback Dwight McGlothern is one name that comes to mind along with in-state prospects such as Ryan Watts and Jalen Kimber.

Arkansas, too, was among the hopefuls in the mix for Johnson. Last month, the four-star cornerback mentioned that Arkansas was certain to get an official visit, but that momentum quickly faded after Johnson picked to return to LSU for the spring instead of The Hill. The Hogs hold a commitment from Louisiana cornerback Jamie Vance and hosted Watts for the spring game. They have successfully made a mark on both The Boot and North Texas under Coach Chad Morris. However, the Razorbacks have yet to seal the deal on nationally ranked prospects like Johnson to date.