JOHNSON ON THE FIELD
Johnson is ranked No. 82 in the nation by 247Sports.com and earned second-team All-State honors last season.
Photo by Mark Guthrel
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.
Johnson has not made his collegedecision yet, and isn't giving any hintsabout which way he is leaning.
Photo by Mark Guthrel
"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.
