Texas Longhorns Trending for a Top In-State RB?
Recent news would suggest Texas is surging when it comes to the recruitment of dangerous Cy-Fair running back L.J. Johnson.
At least three recruiting experts have picked Texas in the race to land the talented Houston-area back in recent days.
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound back currently holds offers from LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Duke FIU, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Houston, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Kansas, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Stanford, South Carolina, TCU, Tennessee, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, Virginia Tech and Washington State.
From SI All American:
Frame: Thick neck, shoulders and arms. Well-defined through shoulders, biceps and triceps. Solid torso. Sturdy thighs.
Athleticism: Ran 4.42 40-yard dash time last spring, along with a 4.26 short-shuttle time and a vertical jump of more than 34 inches. Smooth and fluid runner with good stride. Fair quickness to punch to and through alleys. Runs well behind pads with solid contact balance.
Instincts: Good 1-cut-and-go runner. Possesses very good vision in line-of-scrimmage approach, as he is capable of pressing hole and declaring late. Reads appropriate linebacker and makes correct decision to either bang or bend run. Has good peripheral vision. Can locate and climb to second hole from first level.
Polish: Works from I-formation, single-back and pistol. Run concepts currently feature him attacking downhill, traps, counters, stretches and toss/sweep action. Used in screen game and also ran a wheel route in tapes viewed. Doesn’t play to posted 40-yard time. More smooth than twitchy, somewhat just 1-gear. Limited wiggle and pick-and-slide display. Must prove he can consistently factor in passing game.
Bottom Line: A 1-cut runner, Johnson has a smooth running style with fluid movement skills. He possesses good run instincts and vision, which lead to him consistently making good decisions. While he doesn’t always show elite quickness and play speed, the Texas native is a steady and reliable runner. Johnson could fit best as an inside-zone runner at the collegiate level in an offense that also has some lead power/man-blocking concepts.
What it means for Texas: The Longhorns looked like they were behind the eight-ball in Johnson's recruitment recently with many reporting that Texas A&M held the lead. This latest development not only keeps Texas in contention to land one of the state's most electrifying backs, it keeps the dream scenario of bringing in both Johnson and the state's No. 1 running back Camar Wheaton both in the same class alive. It's also a huge feather in the cap for running backs coach Stan Drayton, who has been on fire on the recruiting trail the last couple of years.
It's still far from a sure thing that Johnson will choose the Longhorns, but Texas fans have to be feeling better about it going to bed than they did waking up this morning. And in a crazy, uncertain time for all college football fans a little good news on the recruiting trail is something a fanbase can hold on to and relish.
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