Oregon Continuing Pursuit of Louisville Commit Jamari Johnson
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"Guys that big aren't supposed to move like that."
It might sound like a cliche in sports, but that's exactly the case with Jamari Johnson. Standing at 6'5" and weighing 265 pounds, the Louisville commit is listed as an athlete, playing his high school ball at Inglewood (Calif.) High School.
If you turn on the tape, it won't take long to see why. You'll see a versatile playmaker catching passes, putting his hand in the dirt to block, muscling his way through multiple defenders on one play and hurdling would be tacklers.
Ducks Digest stopped by Inglewood this week to get the latest on one of the more intriguing recruitments in Southern California.
"I'm all over," Johnson said of his role for the Sentinels this year. "They got me at running back, sometimes at quarterback, receiver, tight end. They got me doing really everything."
READ MORE: Oregon debuts at No. 8 in college football playoff rankings
The jumbo athlete hopes to play tight end at the next level, as long as he can keep his weight down and continue to hone in on his craft.
He's been committed to Louisville since April and reflected on the fit he's found at Scott Satterfield's program.
"I just felt like I was home when I went there," he said. "I went there around three times. Every time is something new, something to look forward to."
The Cardinals have a lot of exciting talent in the fold for 2023 along with Johnson, including St. John Bosco quarterback Pierce Clarkson and El Campo (Tex.) running back Reuben Owens.
"Our class is off to a good start right now. I just feel like we have all the people we need to make a great team."
It's always an eye-catcher when a committed prospect takes trips to other schools, and Johnson was in Eugene for the first time to take in Oregon's win over UCLA.
"That was my first weekend out there," he told Ducks Digest. "I just felt like the main thing was to get my Mom out the house and go see something else. It was pretty cool."
READ MORE: Oregon maintains hold on top spot in SI Pac-12 power rankings
During that game Terrance Ferguson and Cam McCormick both scored touchdowns. The production of the tight ends this season has been a major recruiting tool for the Ducks, who also have athlete Kenyon Sadiq in the fold in 2023. He's slated to play tight end in Eugene.
The involvement of the tight ends in Oregon's offense is one of the biggest reasons Johnson has his eyes on the Ducks.
"I just like the way they use their tight ends," he said. "If you watch the game, like every play they're on the field. There's not one play that has the tight end on the sideline. That's the main thing I like about it."
Aside from seeing a great game from Oregon, he got to spend some important one-on-one time with the leader of the Ducks program, Dan Lanning.
"My favorite part of the trip was talking to the head coach," Johnson said. "Talking to him and listening to how he wants to use me and how he'll make the team better."
The good news for the Ducks is his most recent trip was an unofficial visit, and they've positioned themselves to get him back on campus for an official visit before the early signing period.
"I took my OV to Louisville and I'm gonna take one to Oregon soon. Maybe the 19th (of November). I'm trying to go the Utah weekend."
The do-it-all senior is planning to enroll early at the school of his choice and is looking for a home away from home feel among other factors.
"For where I end up--I want it to feel like home for me," Johnson said. "I want it to feel like my second home. I want to have my Mom feel comfortable where I'm going, and my family feel comfortable and be able to come to my games."
READ MORE: Oregon commit Jerry Mixon talks Ducks, senior season
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