Meet Arizona State football newcomer Chris Johnson Jr.

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State football has added several new defensive backs via recruiting and the transfer portal this last cycle. Only one newcomer can say they are related to a 10-year NFL veteran. Meet Chris Johnson Jr, son of former NFL cornerback Chris Johnson.

Meet a new member of Arizona State football, Chris Johnson Jr.

Johnson Jr. is a three-star rated cornerback according to 247 Sports. The incoming freshman is also rated as the 50th-best corner and the 87th-best player in the state of Texas for the class of 2024.

87th in the state may seem low but Texas is a top-three state in terms of producing high school talent. Johnson Jr. attended Aledo High School in Aledo, Texas where he helped lead the Bearcats to a 5A D1 state championship last season.

Last season Johnson Jr compiled:

• 54 total tackles
• 12 assisted tackles
• 42 solo tackles
• four tackles for loss
• two interceptions

What led Johnson Jr. to the Sun Devils

“Some similarities are the weather, that is a big piece in why I picked ASU, I did not want to play in the cold,” Johnson Jr. explained. “You cannot pick and choose where you want to play in the NFL but you have that [choice] in college.”

As Kenny Dillingham said in his media scrum several weeks ago “Who would want to leave Tempe, Arizona?”

Johnson Jr. and Dillingham are right, it is hard to beat a place that is 70 degrees in January or a place where you can practice outside every day unless it happens to be 115 degrees.

The Valley is widely hailed as being a paradise, after all, it’s one of the most popular retirement destinations in the United States.

Advice from an NFL veteran

Having a family member who played professional sports can be a huge asset that not many can have. However, for Johnson Jr., he has taken every word of advice that his dad has given him.

“I go to him for a lot of advice, he went the JUCO route and made his way up to Louisville and then played in the NFL for 10 years so I am trying to get as much advice as I can,” Johnson Jr said.

One of the pieces of advice that his father told him is to remain patient.

In the world of NIL and transfer portal, it is difficult to remain patient at a place if you do not get what you want right away. For Johnson Jr., it has been very helpful to have someone who has gone through the same thing as he is right now.

“We talk every night, he always tells me not to rush it, work hard, and the work will pay off soon… He just told me to stay patient and when my time comes do the most I can with it,” Johnson Jr. said.

Staying patient

As for Johnson Jr. himself, he listens to what his dad has to say and is going to remain patient and do whatever it takes to help the team.

“I know my time will come, they [ASU] would not have recruited me if they did not think I could make an impact,” Johnson Jr emphasized.

ASU now has a very veteran-based defensive backs room that Johnson Jr. will be able to learn from. The Texas native has a bright future with the Sun Devils.

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