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Freshman safety turning heads in camp

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Jayden Johnson is a freshman safety from Georgia.
Jayden Johnson is a freshman safety from Georgia. (Arkansas Athletics)
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**2021 FALL CAMP HQ**

FAYETTEVILLE — Ask any Arkansas safety about Jayden Johnson and he’ll light up about the freshman’s potential.

One of the biggest surprises during spring ball, the Georgia native enrolled early and managed to crack the two-deep by the Red-White Game. Despite making the jump from high school to college, Johnson looks like he might be able to contribute some as a true freshman.

“I can tell this spring he started coming along, knowing the defense and everything and started making plays,” Jalen Catalon said. “If he plays the way I know he can, there’s no doubt that he can get on the field and do his thing.”

What immediately jumps out about him is his sheer size. Johnson was listed at 206 pounds on National Signing Day, but has since bulked his 6-foot-2 frame up to 220 pounds. That has led to some comparisons to a former NFL safety.

“We call him Kam Chancellor,” Joe Foucha said. “He’s got the body type. He’s very physical. He’s 6-3 (and) he’s back there at 220.”

The two players are certainly built similarly. Chancellor, a four-time Pro Bowler for the Seahawks, was 6-foot-3, 225 pounds during his playing days.

Neither of them were highly regarded recruits, either. Chancellor was listed as a pro-style quarterback with a 5.5 three-star rating by Rivals before signing with Virginia Tech, while Johnson was a 5.6 three-star prospect who was previously committed to South Carolina and didn’t have a lengthy list of Power Five offers.

Despite being overlooked on the recruiting trail, Johnson looks like he’s been on campus much longer than just seven or eight months.

“Jayden is a young guy but he has a body like he’s been in college three years already,” Simeon Blair said. “I feel like he’s starting to learn how to use that body, learn how to come down and be more physical and he’s playing faster.”

That was on display last weekend when the Razorbacks had their first scrimmage of camp. Catalon was asked afterward if any young players stood out to him and Johnson was the first name out of his mouth.

“He came down and had some really good hits today,” Catalon said. “His classification (is a freshman), but I don't think he's that young. He's grown so much.”

Although he already looks the part, Johnson still has some growing to do when it comes to the playbook and assignments.

That, coupled with the depth Arkansas has in the secondary, could prevent him from playing a huge role this year, but he has even shown progress in that area since the spring.

“He’s an 18-year-old and I feel like he’s physically there,” Foucha said. “Mentally, he’s coming along every day in fall camp just being around us. It’s a little different when you make that transition form high school to college. The communication level is at a high standard. I think he’s getting better at that every day.”

The first game of Johnson’s collegiate career will be the opener against Rice, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Sept. 4. It will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus and ESPN-Plus.

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