During his four-year career, Stephenson’s Jayden Johnson has traveled some distance across the football field. To be precise, 4363 yards over the course of 37 games, averaging a staggering 8.5 yards per carry and 42 touchdowns.
During his junior season alone, the All-State running back put up 2091 yards and 23 touchdowns, but that hasn’t stopped Johnson’s hunger to improve.
“I feel like I’ve improved the most in patience, acceleration, pad level, and overall decision-making as a running back,” he said.
At the start of the season, Johnson has 667 rushing yards on 80 carries for 7 touchdowns, putting him slightly ahead of last season’s elite 2k-yard pace. Even better, Stephenson is 3-1 on the year, coming off a huge 40-33 win where Johnson rushed for 281 yards on 33 carries and 4 touchdowns, including the game-winning score with just seconds remaining. The standout performance earned him Week 4’s Player of the Week.
On the recruiting front, Johnson is a Middle Tennessee commit who made his pledge over the summer. He talked about what made the Blue Raiders the right fit.
“Middle Tennessee felt like the best option for me because of the relationship I built with the coaches from the jump, the way they use their running backs, and just how comfortable I felt every time I was around the program. I felt like it was the right fit for me both on and off the field,” he said.
For the remainder of the season, the senior has only one goal to achieve, but it’s a big one.
“My goals for my senior year are simple: win the state championship for the first time in school history,” Johnson exclaimed.
Stephenson has been a consistent winner for decades, going back to when the school first opened in 1996. They have had only two coaches in school history, with coach Marcus Jelks taking over e duties from Ron Gartrell in 2021. And while they have had tons of NFL talent and an impressive 254 wins in 350 contests, the Jaguars are seeking the ever-elusive state title.
Can Johnson and the rest of the talented senior class be the difference? Well, we didn’t rank the Jaguars the #3 team in the preseason for no reason. They have tons of talent, but more than anything, a group of experienced upperclassmen. That will make a huge difference as the weather turns cold outside, so be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter/X to see the latest on Johnson’s mission to win Stephenson’s first state title and more players across Georgia.
