by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
If you read our commitment profile / interview with 2022's #1 Tight End Jake Johnson, you would've felt we were pretty biased when lauding Jake as a special talent, a versatile athlete and faster footballer than many realize....however, after he blew up LSU's Skills Camp this weekend, there is finally consensus about the Georgia-native's 5 star credentials.
Catching everything in sight with vacuum-sealed hands, Johnson caught passes from future QB Walker Howard, ran crisp / clean routes, repeatedly rose high above an assortment of DBs, from lengthy studs to smaller 2023 cats, Jake dominated them all in a magnetic display.
"Juker" was out in full force when he "shaked and baked" a corner into the ground before turning up field. As he launched into stride, he gained the necessary release, reached out his hands with impeccable timing and snatched the ball at its apex..... right above the fighting DB's outstretched arms.
On another play, Jake raced down the sideline as a corner blanketed him, giving Johnson a true battle. Despite the testing coverage, Jake's large 6'6 body (as well as Walker's ability to "lead receivers" with the football) gave Juker the separation needed, and he welcomed the pigskin into his assertive grasp.
Alongside his physical attributes, Jake's football IQ, fluid movement and deceptive hips are known to make DBs or linebackers equally "go fruit loops" as they become lost in Johnson's powerful recipe:
Long strides, hulking size, underrated agility, deceptive pace and a near professional grasp on route-running....also....no amount of trash talking or mistakes can get inside his head or rattle this young man....not at all.
Jake has been schooled by the best, from both parents Nikki & Brad, raising him right in a spiritual, competitive, fun-loving home; Plus, he's learned plenty from watching his older brother Max compete at the highest level.
What made Jake's stunning camp all the more impressive?
He was hauling in all these circus catches and demonstrating his overlooked speed while just recovering from a strained quad injury suffered back on April 22nd.
"It was a good day," Jake replied to my messages of excitement in his typical understated humility. "It just felt really good to run routes again after going through the injury I had a few weeks ago. That's the first time I've really ran hard. Just had a strain. I am healthy and ready to go now."
The LSU commit's camp performance, his first time running routes since the injury, the manner in which he dominated....all of these factors combined illustrates exactly what kind of competitor LSU have on their hands....
Do not be fooled by the "tight end" tag....he's just a pass-catcher...and he's mostly unstoppable.
Speaking of Jake's role in LSU's 2022 class, the Oconee receiving force has been tight with QB Walker Howard for some time, as their on-field chemistry and off-field friendship can attest; even their families are familiar, both fathers Brad & Jamie meeting together and becoming fast friends, too.
He's also grown tighter with his fellow 2022 classmates during his camp visit, meeting everyone he could for the first time:
"We have a chat group with a lot of our LSU class. I hadn't met anyone in my class (before this weekend). We have some good guys in our class besides good players too."
On his summer plans, Johnson told us: "gonna do my workouts here with the high school team and our practices over summer. I should do one more camp, Rivals Camp in June. And will play in the All-American bowl game in January after the season."
When I asked about the prospects of receiving his 5th star, Juker waved me away:
"Seriously, I'm not worried about stars."
😎
by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
Copyright 2021 Uninterrupted Writings Inc
SHOUTOUTS: Juker Jake went out there and took over!!! This young man is a SAVAGE OUT THERE!!!!