2022 Receiver AJ Johnson Starting to Pick Up Steam on Recruiting Trail, Talks LSU Football Interest

Newman receiver talks friendship with Arch Manning, what he hopes to prove after sitting out a year

Over the course of the last year, Isadore Newman teammates AJ Johnson and Arch Manning have become very close on and off the football field. Even though Johnson has yet to play a single down for Newman to this point, when the 2020 season rolls around this fall, the two will already be in sync.

The rising junior transferred to Newman from McMain High School at the beginning of his sophomore year and had to miss the entire season due to transfer rules. The decision to transfer was ultimately about the academics for Johnson, who had never heard of Arch Manning or the giant success the Newman football program had been over the years.

"It was something that I did on my own, I actually wanted a better education for myself and once I leave, a school that'll leave me with a good diploma," Johnson said. 

Once arriving to Newman, Johnson quickly learned about the Manning family and the history they have with the program. It was around that time when he really started to strike up a friendship with Arch.

"We're actually real close, we're like brothers honestly and we have a lot of fun with each other," Johnson said. "Putting in that bond off the field is what we've been doing. We've talked a lot about remaining humble throughout the recruiting process, that's the No. 1 thing.“

Some of the big schools that have offered Johnson to this point are Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi State. One school that has yet to offer Johnson but is very interested in the 6-foot-4, 205-pound New Orleans product is LSU. 

Currently on the cusp of the top-250 players in the 2022 class according to 247Sports, Johnson has been in contact with a number of coaches on the LSU staff. Recently, Johnson was on a zoom call with coach Ed Orgeron and receivers coach Mickey Joseph, who both expressed how interested the LSU program is in Johnson and his potential. 

"Once they see me play, I most likely will get the offer," Johnson said. "They've heard about all of the hard work I've been putting in off the field, especially since I couldn't play for a full year. What really sticks out from what coach Orgeron said was that he thinks me and Arch are going to tear it up next year and that's certainly the plan."

Even though he wasn't playing on Friday's during his sophomore year, Johnson wasn't going to allow himself to miss out on a full year of development. Conditioning and adding weight have been a big part of his daily routine, but from a football perspective, he's making sure to get in work with the guy who'll be slinging touchdowns to him this fall. 

"I just kept lifting, eating, conditioning and that was pretty much it, just putting on the weight," Johnson said. "We get out there and throw pretty much every day and now we're able to throw with our head coach watching. But me and Arch have been grinding away all offseason, just getting that connection down."

One of the parts of his game Johnson feels he does best is attacking the ball. No matter where his quarterback puts it, Johnson always feels he's going to come down with the catch and as he continues to grow into that 6-foot-4 frame, there's really no telling the heights he can reach.

As a junior, there are plenty of improvements he hopes to show LSU and any other potential suitors that he obviously wasn't able to show off as a sophomore. 

"I just feel like 99.9% of the time I will come down with the ball, my vertical is 42 inches so I'm definitely able to come down with those jump balls," Johnson said. "Since I really couldn't play for a year, I'm more explosive and that's what I've been trying to add to my game."

If there's one goal Johnson has set for himself this year, it would be to break the receiving records at Newman currently held my Arch's father Cooper. It's something Cooper and AJ often joke about while he and Arch are putting in work.

"He's always telling me 'man you could break that easily,'" Johnson said.  

Johnson grew up a UGA fan, as he spent most of his childhood living in Georgia before moving to New Orleans about five years ago. Most of his family is from the New Orleans area so he knows all about the culture that exists in Louisiana and how much the people here love LSU.

As Johnson was continuing to better himself in the training room while Newman was on its way to a 9-2 regular season and a playoff berth, he spent a ton of time watching a lot ofcollege football, specifically the Tigers.

"That offense was amazing last year, the receiver corps was dominant all season long," Johnson said. "I was at Junior Day this year but haven't been up for a game yet but am looking forward to it. The coaches have told me it's a great atmosphere so I can't wait to check it out myself. Playing in the SEC has been my goal so I think playing in Death Valley would be a really cool opportunity."