LSU signs Storm Johnson

LSU signs Georgia high school running back Storm Johnson
Posted by Mike Strom, The Times-Picayune June 30, 2009 9:05PM
Categories: Recruiting
Six-foot-1, 215-pound running back Storm Johnson of Loganville, Ga., is already rated among the nation's top running back prospects, even though he still is nine days from his 17th birthday.

The real party for Johnson and his family, however, comes the next day when he travels to Baton Rouge on an unofficial visit to LSU to officially announce his commitment to the Tigers and Coach Les Miles.

Johnson, the nation's 14th-rated running back by rivals.com, said Tuesday he formally committed to LSU on Monday night in a conversation with Tigers running backs coach Larry Porter. Johnson, with 4.47 speed in the 40, chose LSU ahead of Florida from an original list of 33 schools and a final five that included Michigan State, Oklahoma and Ohio State.

"I have committed to LSU," said Johnson, who earlier made another unofficial visit to Baton Rouge with his parents Wes and Dione during spring practice. "It's just a great place for me. I like the surroundings. I like the coaching staff. I like everything about it. I'm lucky to be a Tiger. I love LSU."

Johnson is LSU's 16th commitment for 2010, the third Georgia prospect to choose the Tigers and LSU's 10th commitment from out-of-state. He projects as a full academic qualifier with a 3.0 grade-point-average and a 20 on the ACT and expects to enroll at LSU in January as a mid-term graduate.

The Johnson family gave due diligence to Storm's selection.

"Me and my parents talked," Johnson said. "We looked at the top five schools I liked. We looked at what those schools could do to benefit me. We looked at the (academics), the programs and even the city they were in. We decided that LSU was the best place for me."

Why the July 11 announcement?

"My parents just want me to make the final decision when I get down there," Johnson said. "I think it is a good birthday present."

LSU had been a front-runner for Johnson since before his junior year at Buford High School, where he emerged as a national recruit in 2008. As a junior, Johnson rushed 165 times for 1,300 yards and 21 touchdowns and caught seven passes for 75 yards and another score to help the Wolves in consecutive seasons finish 15-0 and as the Class 2A state champion in Georgia.

Johnson's impressive numbers came despite playing as a part-time starter who rotated at running back with Air Force signee Cody Getz.

His parents relocated, and this fall Johnson will go to school at Loganville, which is approximately 24 miles south/southeast of Buford and 35 miles east/northeast of Atlanta. There, he will become a full-time starter for the first time in his varsity career. He expects to get 30 to 35 touches with the Red Devils, a Class 4A program that went 9-1 in 2008, before being eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs.

At LSU, Johnson expects to fill a void created by the departure of senior backs Charles Scott and Keiland Williams.

A gifted power-runner and athlete, Johnson also competed in track and basketball. As a sprinter and shot putter, Johnson had personal bests this spring of 10.7 seconds in the 100 and a throw of 51 feet in the shot. He was a shooting guard in basketball capable of dunking two-handed. He bench presses 370 pounds, squats 490 and power cleans 275.

"(LSU was) my favorite school growing up," Johnson said. "And now it's a dream come true that they offered me a football scholarship."