LSU Football Cracks Top-Five for 2021 Receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr.
LSU is rich with talent at the receiver position. Between what it has currently on the roster and the impending high school prospects on the way, perhaps there isn’t a position group more stable than wide receiver.
With three players already on the way in 2021, the Tigers are hoping to reel in one more big time recruit. Brian Thomas out of Walker High School is a candidate as well as Destyn Pazon out of Edna Karr High School.
One out of state prospect to watch is Washington D.C. prospect Malcolm Johnson Jr., who has whittled his list down to a top-five. Johnson will be choosing between five SEC schools.
Johnson is an SI All-American candidate and possesses a 6-foot-1 frame while also being among the fastest in the country at his position. The St. Stephen's & St. Agnes product told LSUCountry in June that his relationship with receivers coach Mickey Joseph and the high potent offense the Tigers proved to be in 2019, were primary reasons he’s considering LSU.
“Coach Mickey likes the speed I could bring to the offense," Johnson said. "We all know that the offense is very explosive and we saw that last year so that speed could definitely help a lot. I think I'm very versatile. I'm a little bit taller and I still have the capability of breaking it long so I think that's a real big component of my game and that's what they see."
While a commitment still seems a ways away, here is Johnson’s SI All-American player profile and scouting report:
Frame: Average bulk with good definition and length in arms. Athletic torso and midsection, along with straight lower half.
Athleticism: Has been clocked at 4.6 in the 40-yard dash and 4.2 in the short shuttle. Also has a 39-inch vertical jump. Competes as a sprinter in track and field. Very good play speed in route phase and RAC phase. Solid release quickness and urgency off the line. Even better gear going from 1-2 than 0-1. Quick hands and can naturally reach and secure ball before they reach his interior frame.
Instincts: Uses a squirt technique to release versus squat defenders with solid swim. Has a subtle dead leg release versus press-man. Flashes a subtle head fake at the end of his stem prior to his secondary releases. Disciplined with eye-tracking of throws downfield. Uses good judgment and leap timing to subtly work himself in advantage position on 50-50 balls. Fair creativity and vision in RAC-phase and is able to locate initial creases to exploit as a runner.
Polish: Lines up almost exclusively on the right perimeter at No. 1 in all formations. Lined up as No. 3 in trips set to execute a shuffle concept. Current route tree mainly features verts, slants, corners and screen-game work, and needs to be expanded along with release plan. Hand usage in releases versus press-man must improve.
Bottom Line: Johnson is a sprinter whose speed translates to the field and can be seen on tape. He can stack the secondary vertically and has solid ball skills. While he must add strength and expand his route tree, he is an ideal fit as a Z-receiver in an offense that features a 5-step and 7-step vertical passing game.
