It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Johnson as a prospect, and the Forest Lake QB who has been a “Rankings Riser” this offseason is primed for a huge senior year. Last year, he threw for 1003 yards with a 62.9% completion percentage and 10 touchdowns. He also rushed for an additional 350 yards and 6 TDs. He’s been putting in a ton of work since last fall, but his junior tape is still tough. Johnson thrives in his pro-style offense. He’s able to roll out and dot up receivers while on the run, and excels with play-action passes. I’m also a big fan of his toughness in the pocket. Johnson will repeatedly take a big hit to deliver a dime. He’s also capable of extending the play with his legs and can pick up a first down on the ground when needed. I think this senior year is going to be a big one for Johnson.

The overall best tester from this crop of QBs, Johnson has evolved into one of my favorite QBs in the state. A well-rounded athlete with a talented arm, I’ve seen Johnson perform in person dozens of times, and he’s consistently one of the top QBs at every camp he goes to. He throws one of the best balls out of any 2026 QB across all metrics, and it blows me away that he hasn’t amassed more recruiting attention. His ball placement, especially on intermediate to deep routes, is phenomenal, and I can’t wait to see how he balls out this fall.

I’ve long held the idea that Johnson was among not only the best QBs in AAAAAA, but the entire state. His performance on Sunday only reinforced that notion. Boasting a silky smooth release and impressive velo on every one of his passes, Johnson can rip balls into pockets that most other QBs can’t. He was also able to anticipate windows opening better than most. There were a number of times he hit short whip routes in the red zone that were challenging to say the least, and a large majority of those balls were placed at a high level. He’s definitely a 2026 QB whose stock I could see rising over his senior year.

Many of my colleagues have long been high on Johnson, and he just continues to prove how talented he is. In a phenomenal win over a highly touted Stillwater squad, he had 124 passing yards and 1 passing TD, as well as a rushing TD and nearly 50 more yards on the ground. Johnson has an average passer rating of 137.4 in the last two weeks, so continue to watch him develop.

Although starting QB Cole Gerrell ended up graduating this spring, the Rangers are very much anticipating big things from their junior QB Connor Johnson Connor Johnson 5'11" | 175 lbs | QB Forest Lake | 2026 State MN . Johnson already boasts exciting throwing power and deep accuracy at his age. Johnson stands tall in the pocket and is able to scramble out to extend the play. Johnson has impressive accuracy and timing passing on the run and he’s found great sync with his receivers. Johnson is due to make the jump to varsity in 2024, and even with the high expectations ahead for him this season, I believe Johnson will quickly cement his place as a top QB in the Metro conference.