The Bayside Conference isn't known for producing surefire Division-I recruits, but Andrew Johnson is as close as it gets. The rising senior from Wicomico High is a phenom who would likely be ranked among the best linebackers in the state if he played against the powers in Southern Maryland.

"There are better athletes on the other side of the bridge, but over here [on the Eastern Shore], there are always one or two gems," said Wicomico coach Dave Nettles. "Andrew is one of those."

Johnson is that rare athlete who possesses the deadly combination of size, speed and strength. That's why schools like Connecticut, Syracuse, Maryland and North Carolina have been keeping close tabs on his development. At 6-feet-2 and 215 pounds -- with six-pack abs and only 4-percent body fat -- he's a physical specimen. Add in a sub-4.6 40-yard-dash time, a 315-pound bench press, and 30 bench repetitions at 185 pounds, and he's approaching freak status.

"He's just one ball of muscle," Nettles said.

But aesthetics and sculpted bodies only tell a part of the story; colleges want to see talent as well. Johnson has shown plenty in his three years at Wicomico. Nettles points out Johnson's incomparable lateral movement and agility. He tracks down running backs running sideline-to-sideline with the same veracity as Ray Lewis. He sacks quarterbacks rushing off the edge with same non-stop motor as Julius Peppers. Johnson made so many plays last season that Nettles couldn't even pick out a key moment – or game – to talk about.

"He makes an impact on ever play," Nettles said. "No play or game sticks out more than the others. You'd have to review over two seasons worth of tape to see all the plays he's made."

Last season Johnson racked up 58 tackles and six sacks while playing every conceivable defensive position besides cornerback. Johnson does the majority of his work as an outside linebacker, but due to depth problems in Wicomico's 3-5 defense, he moved wherever the team needed him. Against Northwood last season, he played inside and outside linebacker, defensive end and even played tight end on offense. He tallied four solo tackles and a sack in that game.

"He did exceptionally well," Nettles said. "He adjusts so quickly to the places we put him. "

Perhaps those smooth adjustments are what makes Johnson such an intriguing prospect. He's only been playing football for three years and he's already learned upwards of four different defensive positions.

"He's like a sponge. Everything you teach him, he sucks it up," Nettles said. "Teaching him is unbelievably easy."

Of course, Johnson hasn't learned quite everything yet. He's still a raw athlete who relies on sheer speed and athleticism to dominate. He suffers mental lapses from time to time, and while he can get away with that in high school, he will be exposed at the next level.

"He has to become more knowledgeable about the game and learn how to read plays better," Nettles said. "He tends to read everything on the fly.

"But he's been trying to learn it all in two-and-a-half years, and it isn't that easy. There's a lot for him to still learn and it's just amazing he's picked it up as quick as he has. Every day he gets better."

That can't be good for Bayside opponents, but it's exactly what recruiters want to hear. The more Johnson polishes his game, the more likely he'll land one of those highly coveted Division-I scholarship offers. And if recent history is any indication, Johnson's chances are good.

Unlike the majority of the Bayside schools, Wicomico has produced one big-time recruit each of the last three years, including Wayne Warren ('08, Rutgers), and Jamere Knox ('07, Syracuse) and Jeremy Schonbrunner ('06, Temple). Johnson is next in line.

"His abilities s are unbelievable," Nettles said. "He has the talent to play at the I-A level."