The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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every play one step at a time and connect with my quarterbacks," he said. "Both touchdowns were pitch and catch. "I obviously had to go out there and make the plays, but they were great calls. I didn't want to take anything for granted, and I'm definitely grateful that I had the ability and the opportu- nity to make the plays that I did." Those plays put Johnson in the dis- cussion to earn a fourth star, get a big bump in the rankings and wind up as one of the best receivers in the country. Friedman was in Orlando covering the Under Armour All-American Bowl while Johnson was in Texas scoring touchdowns, but did not ignore the senior's accomplishments. "He ended up in the Rivals250 after performing well all week and then making some big plays in the game itself," Friedman explained. "The po- tential for Cornelius is really high. He still has room to fill out in his frame. He really looks the part now and showed that in the all-star game." The Brunswick School doesn't allow early graduation so Johnson will not be in Ann Arbor until this summer. Still, Friedman thinks that he will be ready in a hurry because of how intel- ligent he is and the position he plays. "Usually, it's not a huge deal for receivers if they enroll early or not," Friedman said. "If he were able to en- roll early I'd have higher hopes for more significant contributions as a freshman. He's a really smart kid, and he'll pick things up quickly. But he'll have to adapt to the physical part of the game. It's a more physical game at the college level, especially in the Big Ten. "He could probably see spot duty as a freshman as long as he keeps fill- ing out. I expect him to be a regular contributor fairly early in his career though. As he gets into his sophomore and junior seasons, he should be a full- time contributor." ❏ DID YOU KNOW? • Helped lead his Brunswick Bruins to an 8-2 record and a spot in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class 'A' Mike Silipo Championship Bowl Game in 2018. • At The Opening Regional in New Jersey, he ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash, timed a 4.14 shuttle and verti- cally jumped 36.7 inches for a Nike+ football rating of 116.49, which ranked 38th nationally. • Has maintained a B average in the class- room. • Played against current Michigan wide re- ceiver Tarik Black in high school. • Has volunteered locally as a board member with Jack and Jill of America, which focuses on developing leadership and community ser- vice among African-American youth. • Johnson's mother is from Detroit and graduated from Michigan's medical school. They still have family in the state of Michigan. • As a senior, carried the ball twice for 43 yards and a score, and also had a 99- yard kickoff return touchdown. THEY SAID IT Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney: "Johnson is the most-overlooked prospect in the Michigan class. We adjusted his ranking after seeing him in San An- tonio [for the All-American Bowl]. He's a kid who has tremendous size. "With what Michigan has done with Donovan Peoples-Jones and what they planned to do with Tarik Black if he wasn't injured — those big outside receivers who can stretch the field — I think he's a kid who got a bump in the rankings, but probably ends up higher and has a pretty good career at Michigan." • Rivals.com Midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt: "From day one of All-American Bowl practices, we noted the physical development we saw from Johnson. … The future Michigan Wolverine was one of the most physically impressive wide receivers at the entire event. "We made the comparison to five- star Jadon Haselwood, who has always been considered a specimen at the po- sition, after seeing the two standing side by side. The added muscle and overall physical development has also made Johnson a more explosive receiver." • All-American Bowl East head coach Tim Hardy: "From a football standpoint, he's an outstanding player. He represented himself very well in all setting: one-on-ones, competitive situ- ations and the game. He's just a smooth athlete. He catches the ball effortlessly. From a physical standpoint, he's really impressive." • Brunswick School head coach Jarrett Shine: "I think he's a great route runner. He's really smooth and precise with his routes. He's worked on his hands quite a bit too. He's really become a complete receiver." Listed by U-M at 6-3, Johnson will be tied with Tarik Black for the second-tallest wideout on the roster next year. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM MARCH 2019 THE WOLVERINE 43 2019 Projection Not counting his classmates, there will only be five scholarship wide receivers on the roster when the 2019 signees arrive in Ann Arbor, meaning Johnson could push for some immediate snaps. After seeing what Ronnie Bell did as a true freshman despite there being a lot of talented, young receivers and a grizzled veteran in Grant Perry already on the roster, it's certainly within the realm of pos- sibilities for Johnson to contribute next fall. He's much bigger than his committed classmates (Giles Jackson, George John- son, Mike Sainristil and Quintel Kent) at the wide receiver position, meaning he'll have a unique role compared to the others. If he lives up to his reputation as a polished route runner, a la fellow Connecticut product Tarik Black, it wouldn't be a shocker to see him make his way onto the field right away.