Irish Illustrated and 247Sports have learned that Notre Dame receiver Jordan Johnson has decided to transfer. The 6-2, 195-pounder will elect to enter the Transfer Portal and finish his collegiate career elsewhere.
Arriving at Notre Dame in the class of 2020 out of St. Louis (Mo.) DeSmet high school, Johnson was one of the most talented players in the country. The 247Sports Composite Rankings listed him as the No. 37 overall player in the country, No. 6 receiver nationally and No. 2 prospect in the state of Missouri. 247Sports ranked him as the No. 62 overall talent that cycle. As a senior, he caught 29 passes for 587 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had a rushing score as well. To wrap up his senior season, he played in the 2020 All-American Bowl.
Johnson’s offer list was one of the best nationally. Notre Dame, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Indiana, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, USC and many others made a run at him. In the end, Johnson chose to suit up for the Fighting Irish.
Things didn’t work out for Johnson and Notre Dame. He saw limited action in year one, playing in a handful of games, but it wasn’t what he or anyone expected. With Johnson, as a recruit, he wasn’t a big fan of the Irish. He didn’t enjoy his first time on campus as a prospect either. However, that changed during the process and eventually he saw the big picture that Notre Dame offers.
“At first, when I first visited, I didn’t even like Notre Dame,” said Johnson during an interview at the All-American Bowl. “I didn’t like it at all. When I decided to commit, they were shocked. I thought this was the best fit for me though.
“I think I was a sophomore,” he continued, as he thought more about that first trip to Notre Dame. “The campus was pretty dead. It was pretty cold. I know my mom was sick, I was kind of sick a little bit. So, I just think it wasn’t a good time.”
Things obviously changed. Former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long got involved and played a big role in getting Johnson on board and sold him on a bright future with the Irish.
“When coach Long and I talked, he broke it down and said Notre Dame would be the best fit for me, I could go here and if I do what I do, I could play right away,” continued Johnson during that interview. “He said the degree from Notre Dame can take me anywhere, even if football isn’t everything. That really opened my eyes.”
Stay locked to Irish Illustrated for more on Johnson and his potential landing spot.
247Sports High School Scouting Report: Above-average size for the position. Lean. Maybe not overwhelming as far as size and strength, but has a classic outside receiver build. Has outstanding ball skills and hand-eye coordination. Shows strong concentration and ability to catch the ball in contested situations. Excellent body control and athleticism along the sidelines and back of the end zone. Shows good, but not elite ability after the catch. Smooth in and out of his breaks. Also has good speed, but still has work to do to get to the top-level of the position as far as straight-line speed. Has few glaring weaknesses, just needs to continue to get bigger, stronger, faster, but has excellent positional skills. Has the ability to develop into a true No. 1 receiver in college.
