A first-year varsity starter with CDH, who made a ruckus in the Class 5A playoffs, winning their section and appearing in the state quarterfinal, where they narrowly lost eventual runner-up Owatonna 22-21, 2026 gunslinger Izaak Johnson had a strong showing yesterday in Savage. Johnson recently saw his ranking rise upon the PRzMN 2026 update going live last week, and the way he balled out on the gridiron, as well as in the now 4-5 offseason exposure points we’ve had of Johnson through 7v7 and 612Qs, I’d expect that ranking to continue to climb, especially in the QB positional class. Johnson is a big kid who measures in at around 6’3, 195 lbs., and he has a strong arm that can stretch the field with accuracy and touch. Johnson seemed to have the biggest arm at the Week 8 workout, and he could easily handle some of the tougher throws thrown at the signal-callers throughout the workout, particularly throws off their back feet and different off-platform attempts. Plus, Johnson was a cool, calm, collected operator who was locked in and focused throughout the entire workout. He got into rhythm quickly, and after that he was money in the accuracy department. No throw or angle was off-limit or out of Johnson’s range last night. The arm strength, size, and accuracy make the 651 product a must-know name in the 2026 QB class.

Johnson throws a great, catchable deep ball. His high-arching balls allow his receivers time to adjust down the field. His pure arm strength is even better on display when he makes throws in the mid-range. The throws he makes on out routes and crossing routes are on a line and with pace. I wouldn’t consider Johnson a scrambling quarterback, but his subtle adjustments – stepping right or left and up into the pocket allow him to avoid the rush and find throwing lanes. He can also make throws on the move – usually on designed roll-outs. The junior makes quick decisions and quickly gets the ball out of his hand.

Johnson has consistently been one of the most underrated QBs in the state, and after a phenomenal junior year, I hope he starts to get the recognition he deserves. His 2024 season tape is electric. Johnson shows off his big arm early and often on his film, and he’s got a litany of tape of him hitting high-level throws you wouldn’t expect a high school QB to make. Johnson puts phenomenal touch on the ball, particularly when it’s slung past 20 yards. He hit a number of near-perfect back-shoulder fades, all of which impressed me. CDH could be very dangerous with Johnson back at the helm for their offense, and coaches would be wise to pay extra attention to him ahead of his senior season.

Early, Johnson hit a slant route in stride. He put a ball right on the receiver deep down the field. On a 4th and four, he completed a crossing route for a fifteen-yard touchdown. Johnson then threw two great back shoulder fades for twenty yards and then for a 56-yard touchdown.