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HawgBeat's coverage of Arkansas' spring practice is presented by Wright's Barbecue. Already serving up the best meats in Arkansas, you can now also find Wright's meat rub and sauces at Walmart and Walmart.com.

FAYETTEVILLE — It hasn’t taken long for Jayden Johnson to make his presence felt on Arkansas’ defense.

Despite being an early enrollee who should still be in high school, the three-star recruit has been getting a lot of second-team reps and seems to be positioning himself to receive extensive playing time as a true freshman.

Making the jump from high school to the SEC can be a challenge for anyone, but Johnson is benefitting from the leadership of All-SEC safety Jalen Catalon, who told reporters last week that he’s taken the freshman under his wing.

“He is picking up on things well,” Catalon said. “Behind the scenes, he is not afraid to ask questions. He is going to make sure he knows what he is doing. … He’s always asking me questions, not even from just a coverage standpoint, but what to do from a defensive standpoint.”

It also helps that Johnson is putting in the work off the field to learn the Razorbacks’ defensive system. Another teammate, former walk-on Simeon Blair, has noticed him spending extra time watching film.

“He’s one of the guys that stays in the film room,” Blair said. “That’s something that’s real rare for a freshman, but it seems like every time I’m in there watching film when I’ve got free time, he’s in there watching film.”

Blair went on to describe Johnson as a bigger safety - listed at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds - who has good footwork and likes to hit people hard.

It’s still early in his career, but Catalon is already on record saying that he envisions great things for him down the road.

“You can tell he is a baller and he has played the game for a long time,” Catalon said. “He is starting to realize, too, that you can do that and also know your assignment. Put it together and he is going to be unstoppable. I am excited for his future.”

In what appears to be their base defense for 2021, the Razorbacks have six defensive backs on the field, including three safeties.

Although Catalon, Blair, Myles Slusher and Joe Foucha seem to be the frontrunners to get the most reps, Johnson could work his way into a top backup role that gives him valuable experience as a true freshman.

Arkansas fans that missed the first two open scrimmages will get another opportunity to see the Georgia native in action Saturday when the team plays its annual Red-White spring game.

Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT at Reynolds Razorback Stadium and the scrimmage will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus.

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