Tag: Jayden Johnson

Class of 2026 guard Jayden Johnson hears from Kentucky basketball

Jayden Johnson is a class of 2026 target of Kentucky basketball.

Kentucky basketball has been hard at work on the 2025 recruiting class, but they’re now able to contact 2026 recruits, and Mark Pope has begun to do so. It should be no surprise that he’s starting with an in-state prospect in guard Jayden Johnson.

Johnson is the number 50 overall recruit on the 247 composite board, and is rated four stars. The 6’5″, 175 lb shooting guard is the number two player in Kentucky and he’s the 11th ranked shooting guard in the class.

Related: Guard Braylon Mullins will visit Kentucky basketball

The Wildcats have had Johnson in for a couple of unofficial visits already, but both occurred while John Calipari was still the coach. Now, Pope is picking up where Cal left off in recruiting the Louisville product.

Kentucky basketball fans have the expectation that top recruits will play there. Pope has offers to several players in the 2025 class, and now, has begun work on 2026. Fans will be happy to know that he is doing his best meet their expectations.

Four-star shooting guard Jayden Johnson schedules visit to Auburn

Auburn will host Jayden Johson, one of the top prospects in the 2026 cycle, next month when they take on the Kentucky Wildcats.

It is early in the process, but [autotag]Jayden Johnson[/autotag] has emerged as one of the best prospects in the 2026 recruiting class. The Auburn Tigers are one of several schools talking to the talented shooting guard and will get to host him on an important visit next month.

The 6-foot-5, 175-pounder will take an unofficial visit to the Plains on Feb. 17. The trip will be his first ever to Auburn and will give him a chance to watch [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] and Co. take on the Kentucky Wildcats inside Neville Arena.

Johnsons in the No. 36 overall player and No. 10 shooting guard in the 247Sports composite ranking. The Louisville, Kentucky product is also the No. 1 player from the Bluegrass State in the 2026 cycle.

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Arkansas defensive back Jayden Johnson will return to Razorbacks in 2024

Johnson was Arkansas’ third leading tackler in 2023 and his return, combined with those of Landon Jackson and Cam Ball, put the Hogs in good shape.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman often spoke about how big a fan he was this past season of defensive back Jayden Johnson.

Now, Pittman and the Razorbacks will have Johnson back in the fold.

Johnson, who has one season of eligibility left, tweeted Sunday of his plans to return to the team in 2024. He was third on the team in tackles in the fall, logging 62 while also picking off a pass, forcing a fumble and adding three pass break-ups.

Johnson’s return combined with that of defensive end Landon Jackson, announced earlier last week, and defensive tackle Cam Ball, who announced shortly after the season’s end, give Arkansas three key pieces on a defense that ranked in the Top 50 in the nation in 2023.

Earlier Sunday, Arkansas picked up an addition via the transfer portal in former Eastern Michigan tight end Andreas Paaske.

Washington, Jeffcoat headline Arkansas’ Players of the Game vs Ole Miss

The indivdual efforts will be forgotten – even if they shouldn’t be – because of Arkansas’ fourth straight loss.

Arkansas was better than it was against Texas A&M.

Better wasn’t enough.

The Razorbacks fell against No. 16 Ole Miss on Saturday, 27-20, as one big issue continued and countered several good individual efforts for Arkansas.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson did everything he could considering he was sacked five times and Arkansas’ running backs were limited to 25 yards on 12 carries.

Ty Washington was his favorite target as the redshirt freshman tight end caught two touchdown passes.

Cam Little chipped in with a 56-yard field goal, as well.

Defensively, Trajan Jeffcoat looked the part of his All-SEC self from three years ago.

And Jayden Johnson was the first Arkansas player not named Jaheim Thomas to lead the Hogs in tackles in a game.

Those efforts will be largely forgotten because of the loss, but like every week, we name our Arkansas Players of the Game. Check out more details below.

MSU basketball showing interest in 2026 4-star SG Jayden Johnson

Michigan State is one of a few big-time programs showing interest in an elite shooting guard prospect in the 2026 class

Michigan State is one of a few big-time programs showing interest in an elite shooting guard prospect in the 2026 class.

The Spartans are one of three big-time programs that sent coaches to see 2026 four-star shooting guard Jayden Johnson on Thursday. The other two notable programs were Louisville and Xavier, according to Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers.

Weingarten is also reporting that Johnson will be visiting Ohio State this upcoming weekend.

Johnson ranks as the No. 10 shooting guard and No. 37 overall prospect in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2026 class. He’s also ranked as the No. 1 player from Kentucky.

Johnson currently holds offers from Cincinnati, Missouri, Texas A&M and West Virginia. Keep an eye on Johnson’s recruitment as the Spartans may continue to be engaged and eventually extend him an offer.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on Twitter @RobertBondy5.

Jalen Catalon and Myles Slusher questionable for South Carolina

Arkansas is being coy about the status of Jalen Catalon and Myles Slusher for Saturday’s game against South Carolina.

Jalen Catalon is perhaps the best safety in the nation. Myles Slusher’s first half against Cincinnati suggested an All-SEC caliber season.

Then the two went down within minutes of each other in Saturday’s win over Cincinnati. Slusher was lost in the second quarter after appearing to make a tackle head-first. Catalon appeared to injure his upper body, perhaps a shoulder, an injury he suffered last year that forced him to miss the entire second half of the season.

Coach Sam Pittman didn’t update the condition of either defensive back during his press conference Monday. When the depth chart was released, they were still listed as starters.

“We don’t have an update on Catalon or Slusher. We don’t know what we’re dealing with there,” Pittman said.

Creating a ruse is en vogue in college football. It’s hard to imagine the injuries are unclear, though it is easy to imagine either player’s status being unclear for Saturday. But it behooves Pittman, and other coaches, to stay mum. The only people it satisfies are fans.

If the two can’t go, expect Jayden Johnson to get dozens of extra reps. He can play both the nickel and safety. Latavious Brini is the likely replacement off the bat for Catalon in the back, though.

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Name a deeper team at safety than Arkansas…good luck

The Razorbacks are absolutely loaded at the safety spot and that’s dangerous for opponents.

Jalen Catalon. Simeon Blair. Jayden Johnson. Latvious Brini.

Get used to those names.

Arkansas’ top four safeties may truly be the deepest group in the SEC. That, in turn, makes them one of the deepest units in the country.

Consider it. Jalen Catalon is two seasons removed from Freshman All-American honors and was a preseason All-SEC first-teamer this year. Brini was a starter for last year’s national champion Georgia. Blair and Johnson both earned starts for the 9-4 Hogs last year. As a foursome, they can cover and tackle just about anything that’s coming their way.

Blair’s rise has been especially magical. He arrived to the team as a walk on from Pine Bluff five years ago. Defensive coordinator Barry Odom has witnessed the last three years of his growth.

“If I can talk him into it, he is going to be an unbelievable coach when football is over for him. He’s got a great understanding of the game,” Odom said. “He’s a terrific leader. He’s got the passion and the competitive spirit of the way you’re supposed to play the game. I trust him.”

Johnson could be the team’s breakout player in the back. At 6-foot-2 and 216 pounds, he has the prototypical build for the position. Even as a freshman last year, he was 13th on the team in tackles, largely playing a reserve role.

“He can play a lot of spots,” Odom said. “He can play any of the safety spots, he can play the nickel position, so that’s going to help him and help us as a defense, for sure.”

Catalon is the known quantity and Brini brings the winning pedigree. All together, they may be the best group on the whole roster.

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Arkansas football freshman power rankings: No surprise at No. 1

Arkansas hasn’t played many freshmen in 2021, but these five have had an impact.

Freshmen in the SEC often find college football tough sledding. Rare is the time a first-year player provides a massive spark to his program. Rare, but not unheard of.

Arkansas has a number of first-year players who have affected the season in a positive way.

Coach Sam Pittman and his position coaches haven’t played many of their freshmen. Arkansas is, after all, a team still building depth and with several super-seniors choosing to return after the 2020 was largely a wash, the Razorbacks a bit more upperclassmen depth than they would have in a normal year.

Still, a few of the young bucks have affected the season in a positive way. Here is a midseason-ish look at the five who have done the most.