Highlights & Evaluation: Louisville OL Commit Fred Johnson

Louisville Report breaks down 2024 Louisville football offensive line commit Fred Johnson.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program has landed their third offensive lineman in their 2024 class, as Fred Johnson has committed to the Cardinals.

Here is Louisville Report's full evaluation:

Prospect: Fred Johnson
Position: Offensive Tackle
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 287 pounds
School: Cleveland (Oh.) Glenville
Top Offers: Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Pitt, Tennessee
247Sports Composite Rating (Nat'l Rank): N/A

Fred Johnson's Junior Year Highlights: HERE (Hudl)

Frame: Johnson has a good base frame to work with, as he has both the height and wingspan most coaches would want from someone who sees reps primarily at the blindside tackle spot. He will have to add some weight to his overall frame, particularly to his upper body, but has plenty of time to do so.

Athleticism: Has a great amount of lateral movement, foot speed for someone of his stature and overall agility. Johnson also possesses a very strong lower body, which is critical in his overall game. Upper body strength is about average.

Instincts: Johnson's physical skillset translates incredibly well to the gridiron. He best work comes as a run blocker, as he is regularly able to use his legs to dictate leverage against his defender, and subsequently drive them downfield away from the play or straight into the ground. That's not to say he's bad in pass protection, as he does a good job at keeping edge rushers in front of him, while also doing enough with his arms/hands to keep them engaged in a block.

Polish: He took most almost all of his offensive snaps at the left tackle spot, but also saw some time on defense as a nose tackle, and did play well off the line. One area that needs to be improved a touch is his work as a pass blocker. He occasionally can mistime his attack with his arms and aim a bit high, but still demonstrates the grip strength to keep defenders locked in, and does have a solid counter to first strikes. Whether it's in the run game or pass protection, Johnson will have to work on utilizing his upper body technique to stay low, as he has a tendency to sometimes stand upright. 

Bottom Line: Overall, Johnson is a good pickup for Louisville. He'll obviously need to bulk up a bit and make strides as a pass blocker, but he has a potentially high ceiling in college given his physical intangibles and base technique, and both will only get better with coaching. It's obvious why a handful of high majors had early interest in him.

(Photo of Fred Johnson via Cleveland.com)

You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

Facebook - @LouisvilleReport
Twitter - @UofLReport
Instagram - @louisville_report

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter