RECRUITING: Aldarius positioning to be top WR

Based off the success of his junior year, Miami Northwestern High School wide receiver Aldarius Johnson has put himself in a position to be one of the most coveted wide receiver prospects in the nation.

Last season including the playoffs, the 6 -2½, 194, Johnson caught 72 passes for 1,361 and 19 touchdowns while demonstrating a rare combination of size and speed. Those numbers gave Johnson an average of 18.9 yards per catch and earned him a spot on the Class 6A All-State First Team. His tremendous play also helped lead Northwestern to an undefeated season and a Class 6A state championship.

Johnson, who ran a blazing 4.5 40-time Scout.com and National High School All-Star Combine held March 17 at the Miami Dolphins training facility, transferred to Northwestern after spending his sophomore year at Miami Jackson High School. He had 24 receptions for 461 yards (19.2 average) and 5 touchdowns, as a sophomore and was chosen to the Class 4A All-State Third Team.

He tries to model his game like another Johnson, former Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson. “He is a big and fast receiver just like me,” he said. However, Johnson doesn’t appear to want to follow in Calvin’s footsteps at Georgia Tech. When asked who was leading the race for his services, he listed UF, LSU and Miami. According to Johnson he hasn’t received scholarship offers from any of his top three schools, but he is interested in them because “they are nice programs and have good offenses.” He says football will be the main factor in his decision.

Johnson also punts and kicks off for Northwestern but only plans on playing wide receiver in college. He says at this point he thinks his game is pretty complete, but there are a few “little things” he would like to improve on.

Whoever lands Johnson could also see him playing on the hardwood, as he doubles as a basketball star at Northwestern. “I would like to play both in college,” he said.

Clearly indecisive about his future home in college, Johnson is anything but indecisive on the football field. He is big, strong, and fast and just what college coaches are looking for to dominate the opposition.