Louisville football just landed its first commit of the 2022 class in QB commit Khalib Johnson.
It took a while, but Louisville football has finally landed its first commitment in the class of ’22.
6’2,” 200-pound Khalib Johnson becomes the first big pick-up for Scott Satterfield and company in a small but important class.
Johnson is one of many quarterbacks that the Cards have turned the heat up on this winter. Ranked by 247Sports as the 11th best dual-threat QB, the Pinson, AL native appeared to mainly consider Louisville, South Florida, and Virginia Tech. The junior was the first player offered by newly minted quarterbacks coach Pete Thomas.
It’s not hard to see why Thomas quickly fell in love with Johnson’s game. He is a quarterback who possesses a high level of athleticism and natural arm strength. He’s got a cannon for an arm and his offense at Clay-Chalkville High School, much like Louisville football, likes to push the ball downfield. Johnson shows the ability to throw deep and accurate passes. He also understands how to put the football in a place where only his receiver can catch it – a skill that is greatly appreciated.
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He’s quick and shifty coming out of the backfield. And like current quarterback Malik Cunningham he’s also able to make guys miss and absorb hits. In an RPO-type offense, Johnson’s tape shows the ability to beak tackles, hit holes, and find a way to get into the end zone.
Let’s take a look at a few quick thoughts on the first Louisville football commit of 2022.
Next-level arm strength
The first thing that stands out about Johnson is his fantastic arm strength. He has solid mechanics and a short throwing motion that helps him get the ball out quickly.
On short throws, Johnson consistently zips balls in on a rope. Across the middle and on out routes, Johnson can move the ball across the field without putting a ton of air under it. Still, he demonstrates the ability to put some arc on his throws to the sideline and to the deep middle. During his junior year he had multiple plays where he threw the ball 50-plus yards through the air. At a young age, Johnson shows the ability to hit receivers in stride.
I love the base that Johnson has to work from. He is strong and stocky. Although he has average height, he has tremendous strength for a 16 or 17-year-old.
Johnson’s load into his throwing motion is abbreviated, leaving little room for him to get loopy and misfire, especially in the close range. He has a full release on his follow through, which is what allows him to fit it into tight windows.
If Louisville fans want an arm strength or throwing style comparison, think Dave Ragone.
Excellent pocket presence and ability to run
It feels rare to recruit a modern quarterback that doesn’t have the ability to run.
While Johnson can take off, he demonstrates the maturity to hang in the pocket even when he might have space to run. That’s because he has great vision and escapability in the pocket. He shows patience to wait for a play to unfold and hit a receiver when he comes open.
That is the type of maturity that is hard to come by when assessing high school talent.
Johnson does have the ability to make big plays with his feet. However, “dual-threat” is a term that is not used equally here. Where current Louisville football QB Malik Cunningham seems just as talented with his legs as he is with his arm, Johnson is definitely mobile but a pass-first guy.
Legitimate depth in the quarterback room
I don’t see Johnson as a day 1 starter, but that is more of a product of who is in front of him. He’ll need time to develop, as most quarterbacks do, but he should at least be able to compete right away.
Johnson will join a quarterback room with a redshirt senior Malik Cunningham, transfer Luke McCaffrey, Evan Conley, incoming freshman TJ Lewis and walk-ons Tyler Jenson and Nathan McElroy. If Cunningham should choose to leave Louisville at the end of 2021, Johnson could find himself in an open competition for a starting role with other unproven players. He’s wrapping up his junior year of high school at 205 pounds, so it’s feasible he could arrive closer to 210-215. That type of size, arm strength, and passing IQ could attract some extra eyes from the coaching staff.
The addition of Johnson solidified the depth at the quarterback position for the Cards and gives Louisville another legitimate option. Quarterback competition will be a big storyline for Louisville heading into 2022.
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