Recruiting Report: Jordan Johnson (2018)

Adam Rossow

May 12, 2017 @ 05:00 PM

Jordan Johnson aspires to be a physical therapist or athletic trainer once his football career ends, so naturally he watches a lot of doctor-based television shows. None of them are his favorite. Instead it's Friday Night Lights. Naturally. The Prior Lake running back led the Lakers in rushing with more than 1,000 yards last fall. He eclipsed the 100-yard plateau in half of his team’s 10 contests and finished with nine rushing touchdowns. He’s been seeing consistent recruiting interest from Football Championship Subdivision programs and said schools with strong training or therapy programs will be high on his list. “I’ve always been interested in the body and what makes us physical human,” Johnson said via email. Johnson said he tries to “lead by example” for his teammates, and stay mentally strong regardless of the situation. He added he’s spent this offseason working on his top-end speed for finishing his longer runs. A lot of that work is being done while competing on the Prior Lake track team. He participates in sprints and the long jump. “I enjoy it a lot. I have become a leader in our program,” said Johnson about running track. The benefit of having an older brother who’s gone through the recruiting gauntlet isn’t lost on Johnson. Like his big brother Jamahl, Jordan is a highly-touted prospect entering his senior season. The football similarities end there, as Jordan is a bruising 5-foot-8, 190-pound running back while Jamahl was a 6-foot, 315-pound force at defensive tackle. “It’s easier for me to go through the recruiting process,” Johnson said. “He [Jamahl] tells me I need to make smart decisions and take advantage of all opportunities and that I always need to have the mindset that no one is better than me.” Johnson’s already picked up a FCS scholarship offer from South Carolina State. Johnson said he was “overexcited” when he received the offer, largely because of his family’s ties to the institution. His grandfather, Willie Jeffries, played at South Carolina State in the 1950s, and had two stints as Bulldogs coach that totaled almost 20 years. Jeffries was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Johnson said his priorities for a program include being highly competitive and having a “good family atmosphere.” Along with South Carolina State, Johnson said South Dakota State has been recruiting him the hardest. He took a visit to Brookings earlier this spring. “I loved everything about the place,” Johnson said. “The coaching staff was great and they have a great program and culture.”