Reebok Top 25 Most Dynamic Athletes: Roderick Johnson

Roderick Johnson doesn't need to talk much to get noticed. Such is life when you are 6-foot-7, 330 pounds.

He's not a boisterous type out there looking for attention, and he doesn't need to shout anyways, because the Hazelwood Central (Florissant, Mo.) giant is a top-tier football recruit and one of the better shot put throwers in Missouri. His dual-sport success makes him the next on the list of our Reebok Dynamic Athletes, and obviously gets him noticed.

The star left tackle leads by example rather than words, and he has his head in the right place as he mulls over offers from 13 to 17 big-ticket college football programs like Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, Oklahoma and more. Furthermore, he has the ultimate respect for his parents, his school, his coaches and teammates. He calls his outlook "Humble yet hungry."

"I'm gonna always remember where I come from. You should never forget and you thank coaches and players for making you who you are and make sure things are straight when you leave," said Johnson, who does track for the athletic and social benefits. "I started (shout put) in high school. My coach told me to go out there and I just had fun with the team and it was something to do instead of sitting around all spring."



See our special Roderick Johnson photo gallery

Playing multiple sports is hardly a given when it comes to marquee recruits like Johnson. But the senior said it's something that more should entertain the idea of doing.

"Take advantage of the extracurricular activities. You're only in high school for four years," he said.

The big man has parental support as he continues traveling all over the country on recruiting visits, and he also has genetics from those same parents that definitely have led to athletic success. He keeps his grades up as well, as Johnson estimates he has a GPA around 3.3.

"I get good grades to make my parents proud. My momma didn't raise no fool," he said.

Coach speak: "He's an all around great kid. He takes care of his business, does the right thing all the time and his personality hooks you immediately. That is Roderick. He has the opportunity most people dream about."
- Head football coach Van Vanatta



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Hometown: Florissant, Mo.

School: Hazelwood Central High

Class: 2014

Sports: Football, Track and field

College plans: Maybe the only thing harder than getting past Johnson to sack the quarterback is getting him to give any indication of where he is going to commit. He's become quite accomplished at saying something while not saying anything. He's guarding his opinions, and hasn't made a choice. Nonetheless, 247Sports says he is expected to commit to Florida State. "I'm still keeping an open mind on everything and going with the process," he said.

Favorite athlete: Johnson insists he doesn't have a favorite athlete. He respects them all. He prefers NCAA sports.

All in the genes: You can't possibly marvel at Johnson's athletic prowess without talking about his parents. Mom Debra (neé Martin) was a prolific star in track and field at Sumner (St. Louis) in the late 70's and early 80's. According to information posted by a state coach on Mo.Milesplit.com, mom holds two state records from the indoor state meet (which is no longer run) in the 55 meters (6.98 seconds) and the 400 (58.78). She also owns the No. 8 outdoor time in state finals history for the 100 (11.82), the No. 11 time in the 200 (24.4) and No. 20 in the 400 (55.81). Johnson also said his mother was a four-time state champ in the 100, 200 and 400 but records only go back to 1980 on the MHSAA site. Furthermore, she qualified for the 1985 NCAA Championships for Texas Southern in the 100 and 200. Dad Rodrick played high school football, and wore No. 75, the number his son wears to honor him. Dad also gave Johnson his incredible size.
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It's obvious that Johnson is large. But tackles need to have more than just size. His coach, Vanatta, lauds his footwork and said he is much faster than people think - and obviously also mentions that his size makes him dominant as well.



"He is very physical, but also plays with his head, so he is in a good spot on every play," Vanatta said about the No. 82 national recruit in the Top 247. "Roderick's leadership skills are through his effort. Other players tend to follow in his lead."

Johnson helped lead his team to an 8-4 mark last season and into the second round of the Class 6 playoffs (the largest class in Missouri). Also, Hazelwood Central is our No. 10 team on the list of Missouri's Top 15 football dynasties.

He definitely doesn't want his recruitment to bring distraction to his team, and he hasn't given any indication of where he wants to go for college or when he will commit. He's keeping his observations and leanings under wraps and not letting the hype inflate his ego.

Among Johnson's football accolades:

* A second-team All-State honor from the Missouri Sportswriters.

* A first-team All-Metro selection from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.



* Helped lead his team to 3,623 yards in 12 games.
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Johnson's size is enough to have some good throws. But in order to be great, he needed to work on his technique.

"It took me a year. The first year I was good because of strength, but this (past) year I've worked on strength and footwork," Johnson said. "Maybe this year I will hit my peak."

His coach is certainly expecting quite a big peak. Johnson's improvement from his sophomore year to his junior year has led his coach to believe there is plenty more potential to be had in the shot put. He also throws the discus.

"It was hard to get a 300-pound body moving across the shot put ring. A few years back he was mainly relying on strength, but one of the coaches that help us, he held the state record, John Gianini, he helped him out and finally got him to where he's using more of his body than his strength," said Rich Copenhaver, who has led Central to the last four state titles in Class 4.

"He's got size 18 feet, he's massive. But he's an awesome kid and one of the nicest kids. Never arrogant, always has a smile on his face. It's neat to be able to coach him."

Johnson said he loves the social aspect, and he can always be spotted watching his teammates, cheering them on in their respective events. He was just one spot off from qualifying for the state meet in the shot put, and all the throwers ahead of him were seniors.



Among his shot put accomplishments last season:

* Set the unofficial school record with a toss of 54 feet, 6.5 inches.

* Placed fourth in the Suburban North Conference Finals (50-2), fourth in the Class 4 District 3 finals (50-1.5) and fifth in Class 4 Section 2 finals (53-5).

* Charlie Beck Invitational shot put champion (54-6.5).

* Tossed a personal-best 140 feet, 2 inches in the discus to place fourth at the Cory Siebert Invitational.
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