Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2020 41 2020 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE game at any level of route at any de- gree of difficulty. He's going to take that challenge on. "As good as he's been, he's do- ing it more often. It just takes one slip up and he'll make you pay, but I think the best thing about him is that he's highly competitive when the ball is in the air at the point of attack. Sometimes balls aren't put in the best place, and he goes up and gets them, whether it's over the middle or on the deep ball. His biggest improve- ment has been his consistency and just competing for the ball in the air." Steeples spent 2013-15 on the prac- tice squads of four different NFL teams. He signed with Missouri out of De Smet in the 2008 class and finished his career with Memphis. As a for- mer cornerback, Steeples knows what kind of challenge stopping Johnson is. "Anyone who lines up against Jor- dan is going to have his hands full," Steeples said. "He's a student of the game, highly competitive and very physical. There's not many holes in his game, honestly." As a five-star recruit and a "com- plete" receiver, per his coach, what does Johnson still have to work on? "Everything. I would hope he hasn't peaked as a high school se- nior," Steeples explained. "He can run routes better, block better, get faster and get stronger. I would like to think Jordan knows that he's not a finished product yet. "I think that's why he chose Del Alexander and Notre Dame, because they can help him get there." Steeples believes Johnson will in- deed get "there" as the Notre Dame signee has shown incredible work ethic for the past few years. In 2017, Johnson's sophomore year, De Smet finished the season with a 1-9 record, and he was a big part of the turnaround of the program. De Smet went undefeated in 2019 and captured the Missouri Class 6 state title. "People always ask me when the moment was when I knew Jordan was a legit prospect, and there was no one moment," Steeples said. "It was just him in practice. I saw a kid who took practice very seriously. He brought great energy, talked smack to team- mates, not letting up even if he was on scout team. He'd get after it. "He approaches practice like it's a game. Friday wouldn't be his first game day experience that week; it was Monday. He has a daily commit- ment to get better." Johnson, who totaled 29 receptions for 587 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior, improved off the field as much as he did on it last fall. "He took the next step as a team leader," Steeples said. "He's done a good job leading himself, and now it's about expanding his influence. I tell him that a leader isn't a position of power; it's a level of influence. "He's led us in a very positive di- rection, and you got to see that ev- ery day in practice, not just on game day." The 6-2, 180-pounder will enroll at Notre Dame in the summer, and as a five-star prospect, he'll have high ex- pectations to play as a freshman. ✦ Johnson notched 29 catches for 587 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior, while helping St. Louis De Smet Jesuit capture the Missouri Class 6 state title. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM JORDAN JOHNSON WIDE RECEIVER 6-2 · 180 DE SMET JESUIT ST. LOUIS RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 28 5 1 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 54 6 2 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 61 11 2 STATISTICS • Had a very productive prep career, catching 83 passes for 1,963 yards and 27 touchdowns. • Played a key role in turning around a De Smet Jesuit program that went 1‑9 in 2017 to 14‑0 in 2019, capped by its first state title since 2005. • Caught five passes for 84 yards in De Smet Jesuit's 35‑20 win against Joplin (Mo.) High (13‑1) in the 2019 championship game of the Class 6 Mis‑ souri state playoffs. • Hauled in 29 receptions for 587 yards and eight touchdowns, plus had one rushing score, as a senior. • Notched 28 grabs for 721 yards and nine scores in 2018. NOTABLE • Born on Jan. 5, 2002 • 2019 MaxPreps Missouri All‑State Football second‑team offense • No. 3 on the St. Louis Dispatch 2019 Preseason Super 30 • Has been clocked at a 4.43 in the 40‑yard dash • De Smet Jesuit head coach Robert Steeples was named All‑American Bowl Coach of the Year • Also ran track at De Smet Jesuit ALL-STAR GAMES • Caught two passes for 28 yards in the All‑ American Bowl Jan. 4 in San Antonio RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on April 6, 2019 during his official visit. • Held more than 20 offers, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State. • Recruited by Fighting Irish receivers coach Del Alexander. • Skipped his senior homecoming to visit Notre Dame for the USC game on Oct. 12, 2019. • Originally planned to commit July 28, his moth‑ er's birthday, but couldn't help but announce his pledge in April. 2020 PROJECTION • With a couple of top receivers exhausting their eligibility, Johnson has a great chance to break into the rotation this fall. THEY SAID IT Wide receivers coach Del Alexander: "He's a competitor. He loves the stage and he loves to compete. He loves to prove that he's one of the best receivers in the country in high school, and we're looking for him to have the same mentality when he gets here to campus." National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming: "A wide receiver with long limbs, very strong hands and big‑time speed, he rarely is pressed at the line of scrimmage because the defenders respect his speed and strength. He possesses a terrific burst and an uncanny knack for finding the open seam. Jordan can also catch the ball with his hands and away from his body, and is electric after the catch."