South Carolina pulls tall, athletic defender from west Georgia into 2021 class
South Carolina’s football coaching staff has gone after taller talents at the cornerback position of late, aiming to even things up in a world where receivers are getting larger and larger.
The Gamecocks staff just added another such piece in Cedertown, Georgia athlete Jayden Johnson.
The three-star talent made a verbal pledge to South Carolina’s 2021 class on Monday, adding a second secondary player to the group alongside Marcellas Dial. Johnson is the eighth member of the class at the moment.
South Carolina at one point had Atlanta DB Demarko Williams in the group, but he reopened his recruitment and ended up committing to Ole Miss.
At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Johnson is the No. 511 player in the country in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He’s the No 36 athlete nationally and No. 39 player in Georgia.
“They plan on using me in the secondary, nickel, dime, corner or safety,” Johnson said. “Coach (Travaris) Robinson was like, I like your film, you would be a great fit here and would help us out a lot.”
In addition to playing defensive back in high school, he also played some wide receiver and some quarterback.
His other offers included Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Memphis, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Kansas State.
“Jayden was a three-year starter for me,” said former Cedartown coach Doyle Kelly who retired in January. “His freshman year we played him at free safety. His sophomore year we moved him to corner and he became a lock down corner and did a super job for us that year. He’s very athletic. He’s a kid that can play everywhere. Last year our quarterback got hurt the first game of the season and the third game, Jayden came to us and said, ‘If you need me to move to quarterback, I will.’ We moved him to quarterback and every game he got a little better. Jayden was one of those kids that never came off the field. The kid can play anywhere. He’s also a heck of a basketball player and a super kid with a great family.”
Kelly said Johnson can also play receiver, but he sees him giving the Gamecocks that rangy safety at the backend of the defense.
“He’s got that long reach, so I’m sure he’s going to make a heck of a free safety for the Gamecocks,” Kelly said. “He was one who was off the radar and I told him he has the tools, and he just bought in and got better every year.”
Johnson has not yet visited USC, but he will as soon as he can. He does plan to sign in December and is considering graduating early. As for his recruiting, he’s not shutting it down entirely despite the commitment.
Johnson projects to join a secondary that might or might not have starting corners Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu. Both have been projected as potential high NFL Draft picks.
— Phil Kornblut contributed
South Carolina’s 2021 class:
▪ QB Colten Gauthier
▪ RB Caleb McDowell
▪ LB Trenilyas Tatum
▪ DB Marcellas Dial
▪ DB Jayden Johnson
▪ DT Nick Barrett
▪ WR Sam Reynolds
▪ LB Bryce Steele
This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 1:30 PM.
