Austin Johnson from North Laurel…they call him The Freak! @A_john50 @athletics_nlhsn @NLJAGSFOOTBALL @BoysGirls13th @minguabeefjerky @HopkinsCentral @_CoachManning @evans02_mike @kyhighs @HLpreps @PrepSpin @1776Bank

The Freak does some dumb bell presses with his 13th-Region Awards for both the Defensive Lineman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year

’24 DE/FB is a freak and we mean that in the most positive possible way!

We can’t find a height and weight posted anywhere for Austin Johnson. Sizing him up next to people whose information we do have, we would say Johnson is in the range of 6’0,” 225 or so. Whatever are his dimensions, he is rendering an unbelievable, on-field performance for the Jaguars. Johnson has to enter the ’23 campaign, his senior year, the most explosive and productive DL in Kentucky High School Football. He’s also among the strongest.

HB Lyon, Scouting Division, KPGFootball

Around London, Kentucky, he’s referred to as The Freak. Around our offices in Owensboro, Kentucky, he is similarly referenced. Hey, hard to improve on perfection.

By every definition, this ’24 DE/FB is a freak. He is freakishly strong, freakishly explosive, freakishly productive, and freakishly athletic.

We mean this in the most positive of ways. we are sure the folks around Laurel County do too.

Johnson plays DE and FB for the Jaguars. At FB he was a punishing lead blocker and effective short-yardage guy who scored a rushing TD, in ’22, every sixth (6th) carry.

Defense is where he really shone. Defensively, Johnson registered 98-tackles, 11-TFL’s, a Kentucky leading 24 QB-sacks in only 10-games of run (Saadiq Clements had 21-sacks in 13-games at Henderson County for runner-up), and one-FF.

Twenty-four (24) sacks? That has to be a misprint right?

Nope. No misprint.

When you look at the “other things” The Freak can do, it is more understandable. When you are talking back squat with high-schoolers, often time depth is an issue. The standard is, “if you have to ask, you didn’t go low enough.”

Johnson registered 98-tackles, 11-TFL’s, a Kentucky leading 24 QB-sacks in only 10-games of run

KHSAA statistical website

Well, Johnson reports a back-squat of 455. We don’t have film of that, but we have him repping out (4-reps) at 405. Low enough for you?

The back squat isn’t his only impressive lift. Johnson has recorded and registered lifts of 315 on the bench press and 450-pounds on the deadlift.

Gun Show!

Now Johnson is just presently 17-years old. Most players heading into the senior year are already 18 and even some turn 19 sometime during the senior campaign. Frankly, as young as Johnson is…his prodigious accomplishments are even the more impressive.

Next level, we believe Johnson will play along the interior defensive line but can’t rule out his being deployed at the edge applying pressure to the opponent’s down field passing attack. We also can’t rule out his being deployed at FB in college.

With a prospect like Johnson, it comes down to scheme and fit. We could see him at various collegiate levels from the FBS on down to the NAIA.

The difference between the levels is slim. It mostly comes down to a matter of literal inches.

Regardless, Johnson looks poised to have a monstrous, freakish, senior campaign. We look forward to seeing it.

This is Fletcher W. Long, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!

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About Fletcher Long 1446 Articles
Two-time winner of Kentucky Press Association awards for excellence in writing and reporting news stories while Managing Editor of the Jackson (KY) Times-Voice

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