On Tuesday, Julian Johnson was offered by Rutgers football. For the class of 2024 recruit, it was his first Power Five offer.
A 6-foot-5, 210-pound athlete from Waubonsie Valley (Aurora, IL), Johnson is at times intriguing and under-the-radar. Capable of playing as a wide receiver or a tight end, on the defensive side of the ball Johnson lined up as a defensive end as well.
Last season, he had 15 catches for 207 yards. He also had two sacks and eight quarterback hurries. The Warriors had some struggles last season, finishing with an 0-9 record.
In addition to Rutgers, he now holds offers from programs including Akron, Illinois State, Kent State, Northern Illinois Old Dominion, and Western Michigan.
Johnson tweeted about the offer, which came on a visit on Tuesday for the start of spring practice:
After a great conversation with @GregSchiano I am blessed to receive an offer from @RFootball! @FOOTBALLWVHS @athleticswvhs @Coach_Aurich @EDGYTIM @DeepDishFB @Rivals_Clint @lemminginsider @PrepRedzoneIL @AllenTrieu pic.twitter.com/6iTZnTgy96
— julianrjohnson (@julianrjohnson) March 28, 2023
Rutgers has made a bigger push into the Midwest in recent years, landing several players from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. In the 2022 recruiting, the Scarlet Knights were able to pull a three-star quarterback from Illinois, Rashad Rochelle.
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In Tuesday’s spring football roster, Rochelle was listed as a wide receiver after playing significant snaps as a true freshman at running back.
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