High schools fall preview: Central football standout Jaylon Johnson

Editor’s note: This is the fifth and final in a series spotlighting the fall’s top high school athletes.

▪ Year/position: Senior wide receiver/cornerback

▪ Why he matters: The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder is one of three defensive backs to make Cal-Hi Sports 12-man Preseason All-State Defensive Team, including a punter, and the ninth-ranked defensive back nationally among rivals.com. He’s a three-year varsity football starter who led Central to its first top-division Central Section basketball title in March as a point guard in a dominant performance against Clovis North at Selland Arena.

▪ What’s next: Recruited as a cornerback, Johnson says he will make official recruiting visits to USC, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Georgia and Utah. Where does this leave Alabama? Buckle up. The NCAA’s preeminent program, a 16-year national champion and winner of four of the past seven, flew in co-defensive cooordinator Tosh Lupoi and his dapper Crimson Tide suit to court Johnson on campus in the spring. Johnson says he will not announce his choice until National Letter of Intent Day, Feb. 1.

This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 4:29 PM with the headline "High schools fall preview: Central football standout Jaylon Johnson."