Penn State Football Recruiting: What’s the latest on tight end Theo Johnson?
One of the biggest prospects coming out of Canada has eyes for Penn State Football, but the Nittany Lions have some stiff competition.
It’s not every day when a player out of Canada has so much attention coming his way for his play on the gridiron. But just because the game’s a bit different in Ontario, doesn’t mean top organization’s such as Penn State aren’t watching. In fact, the Nittany Lions have been working hard on landing one of the top tight ends in Theo Johnson recently.
According to 24/7 sports, Johnson is ranked as the fifth-best tight end right now, as an impressive four-star recruit. The six-foot-six-inch, 245-pound beast is in search of his next landing spot for the 2020 season. So far, he’s visited Penn State unofficially on multiple occasions, but the big vertical threat intends on making a visit in the Fall to attend a game.
Who else is watching?
Penn State isn’t alone in this competition though, as Johnson’s journey to the next level has been well documented. Right now, his top three schools seem to be Penn State, Georgia, and Iowa. Recently, Johnson made an official visit to Iowa, as planned. His other potential destinations will be put on hold as the offseason unfolds.
According to Rivals.com, Johnson’s top seven schools of interest are listed as such: Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, Iowa, Alabama, Michigan, and Miami. Seeing as though Iowa brought him on a visit recently, they are believed to be Penn State’s biggest competitor in the fight for Johnson’s commitment. Considering the recent success of Iowa tight end’s getting drafted at a high rate in the NFL, Penn State is going to be dealing with an uphill battle. However, having Johnson in for four visits, while knowing he will be back has led many to believe the Lions aren’t too far off.
Does Penn State still hold the edge?
Rivals.com’s Mike Farrell believes that it will all come down to Iowa and Penn State in the end. “Penn State and Iowa that have done a very good job producing tight ends. Georgia is right there as well. Penn State has a couple in the NFL, and it has some talented guys on the roster. Iowa just put two tight ends in the first round for the first time in the history of the NFL Draft.”
Blue White Illustrated’s Ryan Snyder believes Penn State still has the edge, despite the recent success of Iowa and the tight end position. While Snyder doesn’t think it’s a stone cold lock that Penn State lands Johnson, he is under the impression that Johnson’s relationship with the Lions’ coaching staff is good enough to keep them in the running.
Next. Penn State misses out on George Campbell. dark
“The proof is in the visits. He’s been there four times now, maybe five, and he also has a really good relationship with coach Bowen, and Franklin has done a good job there. I still think Penn State is the favorite but I will say at the beginning of 2019 I was a little more confident than I am now.” Iowa might’ve swayed Johnson towards their direction for the moment, but the eventual visits to Happy Valley could surely change that as Penn State still seems to be the consenus favorite.