Kansas State earned its first commitment from the Class of 2023 on Tuesday as a four-star linebacker Chris Johnson He announced his commitment to the Jayhawks after visiting universities including the University of Connecticut, Texas and Arkansas. Johnson was rated No. 30 in his class by 247Sports and is considered the No. 8 combo guard.
The commitment is significant for Kansas as it comes on the heels of head coach Bill Self and assistant Curtis Townsend stopped on the road During on-site recruitment in June and July. The self-imposed move comes as the defending national champion faces an NCAA violation case that is lingering in the IARP resolution process.
Johnson will play his senior season this season at Monteverde College in Monteverde, Florida, but he is originally from Missouri City, Texas. He averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds as a junior at Fort Bend Elkins High School, according to MaxPreps.
Here’s 247Sports head of scouting Adam Finkelstein’s full scouting report on Johnson:
Johnson is a big guard of similar size and strength. He can change speed, protect the ball at a high level when crossing the fairway, and can score in a variety of ways inside the arc. He needs to keep improving as a 3-point threat with both erratic skills and a bit of a hardball. On the defensive end, he has the tools that should eventually be able to translate at a high level, although he hasn’t made this end of the court a consistent priority. Overall, he’s confident, physical, and plays with an edge, which could be a competitive advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how it affects him.
Johnson’s high school team finished last season with a 30-6 record, and the level of competition Johnson faced at Montverde High will only increase as he cemented his winning DNA before joining the Jayhawks.
