Texas DB Chris Johnson commits to ASU
Ever since January of this year, Arizona State made it perfectly clear how much they would love to see Chris Johnson join the ranks in Tempe. Case in point, only one Power Five school had offered the Aledo (Tex.) defensive back prior to the Sun Devils. Following multiple visits to Tempe, including an official trip a few weeks ago, Johnson had decided to pledge to the Sun Devils today.
“I committed because of my relationship with Coah BC (cornerbacks coach Bryan Carrington),” Johnson said, “and the new coaching staff and believing in what they are doing there. Coach BC is younger, so I can relate better to him and his journey. ASU being one of my earlier offers, showed me how much they believe in me. During my last visit there, the whole time, I knew that I could see myself in Tempe.
“They see me fitting in their scheme where I can play all kinds of different coverages as I do in high school. On visits, they showed me that on film, and when I practiced with my high school, I saw that we were running the same coverages, but at ASU is obviously more complex.”
During his visits, Johnson enjoyed not only the location of the school and the emphasis on academics but also the various interactions he had with the coaches and players, including one in particular.
“My host, (ASU safety) Xavien Alford, was really cool and showed me everything that they do on a day-to-day basis,” Johnson stated. “He’s been at Texas and USC, and he said that coming here, it’s definitely a different vibe. He said the coaches prioritize the players a lot more here than anywhere else has been at. He was hosting me and Rodney (Rodney Bimage, a Texas DB who also pledged to ASU). Xavien said that he could have gone to any school, but here at ASU, he was really sold on the coaches, and that showed me and Rodney how badly Coach BC wants us to come here. Xavien will still be here (when Johnson reports to the team), and that would be cool because he is like a big brother to me. He showed us a good time but also showed us what we needed to do when it was time to work. It’s not always fun in the sun, and put they put in the grind just like anywhere else.”
In a previous interview with Devils Digest, Johnson elaborated on how he values the strong relationship he and Carrington established and appreciated his energetic demeanor and honesty.
“Coach BC said, If I come here, he can’t guarantee me anything,” Johnson noted, “and I definitely don’t want anything given to me. But he said that If I come here, I will have a great opportunity to play early as a freshman cornerback.”
Johnson plays for the 5A D1 Texas State champion Bearcats. In that 2022 season, he posted 29.5 tackles, two for loss, as well as two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He was named second-team All-District following that campaign. The Aledo High School standout said that Carrington appreciated his versatility in playing well both in man coverage and zone schemes, in addition to the element of physicality that he brings.
Johnson’s final list of schools included Oregon and Arkansas, both schools that had also officially visited in June, as well as Utah, Louisville, and SMU.
Johnson’s father, Chris Johnson, is an NFL veteran cornerback who played in the league for ten years, mostly with the then-Oakland Raiders and later with the Baltimore Ravens, where he won a Super Bowl. The Arizona State prospect is thankful to have his dad as an invaluable resource both in his personal development as a player, as well as in navigating the recruiting process. When asked in another interview how he has valued his father’s guidance, Johnson offered a thoughtful reply.
“Having all these offers is cool and is truly a blessing. But at the end of the day, this is my future, and I don’t want to mess it up,” Johnson explained. “I look at it from the standpoint of, ‘What can I get out of college? Am I getting the same out of a college that they’re getting out of me?’ I want to go somewhere where they value me as much as I value them. I’m putting my trust in you to stand by everything you told me while he was recruiting me.
“I don’t want to go nowhere after I commit, and I don’t want to be one of those (transfer) portal guys. I know sometimes you can’t control it. But I feel like I can control my future with this decision. I’m looking at this decision from an academic standpoint. I’m looking at the players’ relationship with the coaches and my relationship with the players. This is the first big decision I have to make, and I don’t want to mess it up and go somewhere else.”
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