Johnson returns from injury, out to prove hes DI caliber
Jason Johnson should be a Division I wide receiver. He should be dominating high school football like a few of his Suitland teammates. He should be talking about circus catches against Wise, over-the shoulder grabs in a 7-on-7 showcase, an ankle-breaking move at a BCS camp.
But Jason Johnson, a 6-2, 185-pound rising senior, hasn't done any of those things. Underachiever? Hardly.
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Johnson suffered a high ankle sprain in a preseason scrimmage last year, which hampered him all season. He ended up with one catch at receiver and a handful of plays as a safety. Needless to say, it hurt his recruiting.
"If he can get back on the field, he has all the attributes to play college football at a high level," said Suitland head coach Ed Shields. "But he's got to go out and show he can do it."
Johnson is determined. His ankle is fully healed; he can cut, pivot and juke. Now, Johnson is ready to make up for lost time.
"I have a whole lot to prove," Johnson said. "Schools don't know about me yet, but they will the fist game of the season when we play Wise. They're going to have to put two cornerbacks on me this year."
That sounds a little cocky for a guy who hasn't done anything yet. Johnson, however, isn't trying to be arrogant. His self-confidence stems from more than a decade's worth of football training.
Johnson started playing football at five years old, when he first learned from his uncle, a former high school player. While Johnson's peers were busy watching cartoons, this particular pipsqueak had a pigskin in his hands.
"I've been a student of the game for a long time," Johnson said. "That gives me an edge that other players don't have. I think the game."
When Johnson reached high school, his uncle was still helping him hone his game. He'd sit in the stands and videotape every one of his plays. Afterwards, they'd sit down together and dissect each move, down to the smallest hip turn and jab step.
Two years ago, Johnson's uncle taped a play where Johnson had a bad release off the line of scrimmage. The faulty footwork left him out of position, which doomed the entire play.
"My uncle really got on me after that," Johnson said. "My splits and release on the ball have to be perfect so I can get downfield and get open. My uncle told me if I didn't get the little things down, it didn't matter how much athletic ability I had – colleges weren't going to look at me."
Thus, Johnson spends an inordinate amount of time working on technique and trying to gain a mental edge. He watches film for at least 12 hours a week during the season. The rest of the time, he's sharpening his route running. No wonder he's confident.
"I'm going to be two steps ahead of you all the time because I think the game," Johnson said.
Two years ago, Johnson remembers a game where his team trailed by 14 points at halftime. But their quarterback was hurt, so the team had to rely on running the ball. It didn't work. Eventually, they were forced to pass, but the defense jammed the receivers and played tight, press coverage.
It didn't faze Johnson. After a few sequences, he began to notice small holes in the defense's cover-2 zone. On one play, he ran a beeline for the middle, sat in an open space, caight a 15-yard curl between two defenders and turned upfield for a big gain. It helped spur a comeback.
"That comes from knowing the game," Johnson said.
Albert Einstein could think a little, too, but that didn't make him a football player. Johnson is a football player. He's a tall, rangy receiver and safety with baseball-mitt sized hands and sub-4.6 speed in the 40-yard dash.
"He has height, he runs good routes, he has deceptive speed and he can get up in the air and make plays," Shields said. "It's a good combination. He's a tough matchup for a cornerback.
"He can shield the ball from cornerbacks, and he has long strides," Shields continued. "It might not seem like he's moving very fast, but the next thing you know he's by you."
Johnson, however, is a lanky player who must improve his strength in order to consistently beat press coverage. On top of that, he needs breakaway speed to entice a Division I school.
Johnson knows this. And with his ankle healed, he's working out rigorously. Next year, he'll get a chance to show off his bottled-up talent.
"He's challenging himself so he can help the team," Shields said.
And so he can play college football. Johnson would like nothing more than to play Division I. He's hoping to impress Rutgers after he attends their showcase event this summer. (He's also talking to a few FCS and lower-division schools like New Hampshire and Delaware State.)
"I have a lot to bring to a Division I program," Johnson said. "I know what I can do, and hopefully schools give me a chance. "
This time, there are no excuses. It's do-or-die for Jason Johnson.
"It's my job to perform on the field," Johnson said. "If I shine, the schools are going to find me."