Malcolm “The Jet” Johnson’s twitter page lists him as the fastest wide receiver in the country, and he’s got the film and track times to back it up. Out of Alexandria (VA) St. Stephens and St. Agnes School, Johnson has clocked a personal best of 10.38 in the 100 meters and a quick glance at his junior film shows his speed translates over to the football field as well.
A Rivals250 member, Johnson recently cut his list to eight finalists, and the Texas Longhorns are one of the teams that remains standing. A true dual-sport athlete who wants to play football and run track, Johnson said there’s a lot to like about the University of Texas as a whole.
“Texas has a great education football team and track team and I really like Coach (Tom) Herman,” Johnson said this week. “He is a great person and I can tell he is really genuine and cares about his players.”
The 6-1, 180-pound Johnson has been in close contact with Herman, wide receivers coach Andre Coleman and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. That trio has stressed to Johnson that his skill set will fit in perfectly for what Texas wants to do on offense.
“Their message has been that speed kills and I could really stretch the field,” Johnson said.
Along with Texas, Johnson’s finalists include Alabama, Maryland, Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Florida and Southern Cal. Originally, he had hoped to commit sometime this summer but with the recruiting landscape having changed over the last few months, a commitment plan is now up in the air.
“I definitely want to take all my visits before I commit because you get a different feel for the school when you see it in person,” Johnson said. “My initial timeline was to commit before the season started but I’m not really sure what’s going to happen because of this pandemic.
“I definitely want to try to get down (to Austin) because the Texas culture seems extremely strong and I really want to see what it’s about.”
As a junior, Johnson hauled in 47 passes for 832 yards and had 7 total touchdowns.
Johnson says he’s wide open among his eight finalists and while schools like Texas and USC are further from home than most of the other programs on his list, distance won’t be a factor if he finds the right fit.
“I feel like I would really have to feel the passion of the programs and know deep down that they will give me everything they have and elevate my game,” Johnson said about what a school will have to show him to win him over. “That includes athletics and also as a man.”
A four-star prospect, Johnson ranks No. 220 on the Rivals250.
