Tag: donovan johnson

Signed: Donovan Johnson signs with Michigan football

He was one of the top running backs in the country before his junior year injury. #GoBlue

Ratings

* Ovr Pos St
247Sports Composite 4 396 27 56
On3 Industry Ranking 3 494 39 64
247Sports 3 – 36 77
On3 3 – 55 88
ESPN 4 – 24 38
Rivals 4 – 19 49

Vitals

Hometown Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
Projected Position Running Back
Height 6-foot-1
Weight 210-pounds

Recruiting Story

Originally from Georgia, Johnson was on track to be the top running back in 2025 and perhaps reaching five-star status before he tore his ACL his junior year. He has since recovered, but other backs have passed him in the rankings. A member of the 247Sports ‘Freaks List,’ Johnson is both big and fast and fits Michigan football perfectly. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, and others.

Readiness Level

Likely a year-two contributor due to the depth ahead of him.

Notes

  • Committed June 23, 2024
  • Tore his ACL in his junior season of high school
  • Once had a 247Sports rating of 0.9767, which had him as a high four-star

Scouting report

His scouting report per On3:

Physically-gifted running back with an elite size-speed combination. Measured at over 6-feet and around 200 pounds prior to his junior season. Registers as an elite athlete in the combine setting. Has a track background dating back to early high school, running in AAU national events. Began his career at Calvary Day in Savannah, Georgia prior to transferring to IMG Academy before his junior season. Has shown glimpses of his high-end athleticism on the field. A twitchy, explosive mover with tangible burst. Has the speed to pull away once in open space. Has the strength and size to break arm tackles. Shrugs off defenders. Has not played much meaningful football since transferring to IMG, adding ambiguity to his evaluation. Saw limited carries as a sophomore and has yet to play midway through his junior season. Will need to get back on the field to continue developing and add clarity to his evaluation.

Film

Original commitment story

Michigan football adds another RB to 2025 class

Photos

Michigan football adds another RB to 2025 class

Big time! #GoBlue

Michigan football had long courted 2025 Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei running back Jordon Davison, who visited Ann Arbor last week, but perhaps a midweek visit from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star Donovan Johnson changed the calculus on who the maize and blue would take.

The Wolverines already had one tailback committed in Louisiana-based tailback Jasper Parker, but with IMG Academy producing multiple high-end prospects that Michigan has been targeting this cycle, it makes sense that at least one would drop.

Such ended up being the case. Johnson committed to wear a winged helmet at the next level days after his midweek visit.

Here is how Johnson rates according to the recruiting services.

Stars Ovr Pos State
247Sports Composite 4 232 16 34
On3 Industry Ranking 4 239 15 33
247Sports 3 – 30 53
On3 4 242 19 40
Rivals 4 123 8 15
ESPN 4 – 19 37

Johnson was rated higher but fell in the rankings after missing his entire junior season with a knee injury. He was once rated No. 46 overall according to 247Sports.

His scouting report per On3:

Physically-gifted running back with an elite size-speed combination. Measured at over 6-feet and around 200 pounds prior to his junior season. Registers as an elite athlete in the combine setting. Has a track background dating back to early high school, running in AAU national events. Began his career at Calvary Day in Savannah, Georgia prior to transferring to IMG Academy before his junior season. Has shown glimpses of his high-end athleticism on the field. A twitchy, explosive mover with tangible burst. Has the speed to pull away once in open space. Has the strength and size to break arm tackles. Shrugs off defenders. Has not played much meaningful football since transferring to IMG, adding ambiguity to his evaluation. Saw limited carries as a sophomore and has yet to play midway through his junior season. Will need to get back on the field to continue developing and add clarity to his evaluation.

He also had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC and others.

Michigan football trending to land 4-star RB from IMG Academy

#Michigan is on commit watch! #GoBlue

Michigan football already has one running back committed in the 2025 class in three-star Jasper Parker. But it appears that the maize and blue are inching towards landing another.

Many schools were in on 2025 Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star Jordon Davison — including Michigan. But the Wolverines also hosted Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star tailback Donovan Johnson for a midweek visit this past week.

Apparently, Michigan made a big move with Johnson as there are now multiple predictions coming in indicating that he’ll end up choosing to wear a winged helmet. The predictions were bolstered by Tony Alford tweeting an eyeball emoji on Saturday afternoon.

Johnson got a 247Sports Crystal Ball from The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb and got three predictions on On3 by EJ Holland, Steve Wiltfong, and Chad Simmons.

Here is how Johnson rates according to the recruiting services.

Stars Ovr Pos State
247Sports Composite 4 232 16 34
On3 Industry Ranking 4 239 15 33
247Sports 3 – 30 53
On3 4 242 19 40
Rivals 4 123 8 15
ESPN 4 – 19 37

Johnson was rated higher but fell in the rankings after missing his entire junior season with a knee injury. He was once rated No. 46 overall according to 247Sports.

His scouting report per On3:

Physically-gifted running back with an elite size-speed combination. Measured at over 6-feet and around 200 pounds prior to his junior season. Registers as an elite athlete in the combine setting. Has a track background dating back to early high school, running in AAU national events. Began his career at Calvary Day in Savannah, Georgia prior to transferring to IMG Academy before his junior season. Has shown glimpses of his high-end athleticism on the field. A twitchy, explosive mover with tangible burst. Has the speed to pull away once in open space. Has the strength and size to break arm tackles. Shrugs off defenders. Has not played much meaningful football since transferring to IMG, adding ambiguity to his evaluation. Saw limited carries as a sophomore and has yet to play midway through his junior season. Will need to get back on the field to continue developing and add clarity to his evaluation.

He also had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC and others.

Elite RB Donovan Johnson names top schools

Four-star running back recruiting Donovan Johnson names his top five schools

Class of 2025 running back recruit Donovan Johnson has named his top five schools. Johnson plays high school football for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Johnson previously played high school football for Calvary Day in Savannah, Georgia.

Donovan Johnson’s top schools are Georgia, Florida State, USC, Tennessee, and Ohio State. Johnson considers these five schools to be his final five.

Donovan Johnson is ranked as a four-star recruit. He’s the No. 113 player in the country and the No. 9 running back. Johnson is the No. 19 recruit in Florida, per 247Sprots.

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart and running backs coach Dell McGee offered the talented running back a scholarship in March 2022.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound running back has tons of scholarship offers and has already committed to playing in the 2025 All-American Bowl on NBC.

Johnson shows good balance through contact and does a good job of continuing to drive his legs and pick up yardage after initial contact. The 2025 running back does a good job of using his lead blockers.

The IMG Academy star announced his top schools via social media:

Georgia football has the nation’s top recruiting class in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Georgia already has one running back commitment in 2025 in Jabree Wallace-Coleman.

UGA football offers elite 2025 RB Donovan Johnson

The Georgia Bulldogs have offered a scholarship to class of 2025 in-state running back recruit Donovan Johnson.

The Georgia Bulldogs have offered a scholarship to class of 2025 running back recruit Donovan Johnson. Johnson had an impressive freshman year at Calvary Day in Savannah, Georgia.

Head coach Kirby Smart and running backs coach Dell McGee offered Johnson when he visited Athens on March 15.

He’s only a freshman, but Johnson put up insane numbers last season at Calvary Day School taking 170 carries for 1,336 yards (7.9 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound running back was a MaxPreps Freshman All American and junior olympian. Donovan Johnson has recent scholarship offers from Florida State, Boston College, Arkansas and Coastal Carolina among others. Johnson has already committed to the 2025 All-American Bowl on NBC.

You can check out his freshman season highlights below.

Johnson shows good balance through contact and does a good job of continuing to drive his legs and pick up yardage after initial contact. The 2025 running back does a good job of using his lead blockers.

Johnson announced his scholarship offer from Georgia via his Twitter account:

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2025 RB Donovan Johnson visiting Georgia for start of spring practice

2025 RB Donovan Johnson looks to be a future superstar.

It may be too early to know just how great 2025 running back Donovan Johnson will be, but judging by what he did during his freshman year at Calvary Day in Savannah, Georgia is lucky to have him on campus Tuesday.

Johnson is in Athens as the Bulldogs begin spring practice on Tuesday.

Via Matt DeBary of DawgPost:

Many feel he’s an easy 5-star candidate in the 2025 class. He has a chance to be one of the top running backs across the country soon, and the Bulldogs have a chance to put themselves in a great position early on.

He’s just a freshman, but Johnson put up ridiculous numbers last season at Calvary Day School in Savannah, taking 170 carries for 1,336 yards (7.9 ypc) and 10 touchdowns.

He’s a 6-foot-1, 205-pound bruiser of a back, a MaxPreps Freshman All American and junior olympian.

You can check out his freshman season highlights here.