12/16/2020 football Edit

Notre Dame Signee Profile: OL Caleb Johnson

Mike Singer • InsideNDSports

Recruiting Insider

Notre Dame wasn't going to take a fifth offensive lineman in the 2021 class unless it felt like they'd be getting a stud prospect. In Ocala (Fla.) Trinity Catholic's Caleb Johnson, the Irish landed just that, flipping him from his previous Auburn commitment. Johnson has signed with the Irish and will enroll early.

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The four-star recruit has inked with the Fighting Irish. (Rivals.com)

RANKINGS

Rivals: Four-star talent, No. 33 offensive tackle and No. 50 player in Florida

ESPN: Four-star talent, No. 30 offensive tackle and No. 57 player in Florida

NOTABLE

• Born on March 17, 2002

• 2020 Preseason Florida All-State high school second-team offense

• 2019 Ocala Star-Banner all-county first-team offense

• 2018 Ocala Star-Banner all-county second-team offense

• 2020 Hall Of Fame World Bowl camp offensive line MVP

• His father, Aaron, played briefly with the Kansas City Chiefs and lined up on the offensive line for a few years in the Arena Football League — including stints with the Colorado Crush and the Indiana Firebirds.

• Grew up in Fort Wayne, Ind. before moving to Ocala, Fla. going into his sophomore year of high school.

OFFER SHEET

Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Ball State, Baylor, Boston College, Duke, Florida, Florida International, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, LSU, Louisville, Miami (FL), Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rutgers, USF, Syracuse, Tennessee, Toledo, Troy, UAB, UCF, Utah, Virginia, Washington State, West Virginia and Western Michigan

2021 PROJECTION

It's rare that offensive linemen play as true freshman at Notre Dame, so we'll say it's likely that Johnson redshirts in 2021.

QUOTABLE

“During the Zoom call, I was thinking that I could see myself excelling at Notre Dame. It won’t be easy and I’ll be away from my family, but it’s the best decision I could make. Their academics are definitely what we’re looking for, and they’re good in football too. It’s the best of both worlds.” - Johnson

EXPERT TAKE

“Caleb is just a grinder man. He comes from a championship pedigree; his dad played in the NFL. He knows what it takes to get to the premier level. He’s always working on his craft. When you meet with Caleb, he’s a quiet guy but leads by example. He goes out there, gets to work and takes coaching very well. He doesn’t get offended when you try to help him improve his game. He’s an extremely hard-worker. “He’s versatile. He can play anywhere. He might be more comfortable on the left side, but we’ve used him on the right side too.” - Trinity Catholic offensive line coach Brian Lane