Woodford County sophomore Jasper Johnson should get a visit from UK assistant coach Chin Coleman today.
He’s now up to 16th in the ESPN rankings for the 2025 recruiting class and Jasper Johnson of Woodford County is starting to hear from a lot of schools, including Kentucky and Louisville.
Louisville assistant coach Nolan Smith recently spent about 2 1/2 hours watching the Woodford sophomore work out and talking with his father, former UK all-SEC defensive lineman Dennis Johnson who is also the head football coach at unbeaten Woodford.
Jasper Johnson, a 6-4 southpaw guard (without shoes on who has a 79-inch wingspan), has also heard from Cincinnati, Xavier, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida State recently. He already has scholarship offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Radford, Ohio, Eastern Kentucky and Cal-Bakersfield.
“Louisville likes his hand and they love big guards so they can post them up,” Dennis Johnson said. “Jasper is long and they say they really like him.”
Louisville likes him so much that head coach Kenny Payne spent considerable time talking to Dennis Johnson recently and plans to talk again.
Dennis Johnson was a three-sport standout at Harrodsburg High School who was the USA Today and Sports Illustrated national defensive player of the year his senior season before leading the SEC in tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles in 2001. He was also a basketball standout who scored 2,306 points and grabbed 1,347 rebounds. In track, he won eight state championships.
Kentucky has inquired about Jasper Johnson and was scheduled to visit last week before assistant coach Orlando Antigua had to cancel.
“They are actively recruiting him but they had some (20)23 kids they are trying to finish up with and he was tied up with them,” Dennis Johnson said.
Antigua did talk to Jasper Johnson on the phone and UK assistant coach Chin Coleman is schedule to be in Versailles today to visit with the Johnsons. Alabama assistant coach Antoine Pettway also planned to be in Versailles today.
“Him being a Kentucky kid, it would be a bucket list thing if he did get an offer from Kentucky,” the Woodford football coach said.
“He’s not one to say a lot. He keeps things to himself but you can tell he likes Kentucky, North Carolina, LSU and Alabama. Now Ohio State has jumped into that mix. He’s just enjoying it all.”
Dennis Johnson, who played three years in the NFL, has enjoyed his son’s unofficial visits to Notre Dame, Alabama and Ohio State.
“We got to sit front row (for the football games). That made Dad happy. I was talking to all the football guys,” Dennis Johnson said.
Jasper Johnson plans to visit Tennessee in a few weeks. His father was hoping it could be Oct. 29 when the Vols — who beat Alabama Saturday — host Kentucky but it won’t be that weekend.
“I still love that stadium (in Knoxville) but I was trying to sneak in that date when they host UK for the visit,” Dennis Johnson said.
Jasper Johnson also plays football – quarterback/defensive back – even though he’s been limited to just four games this season, including only two on offense because of an elbow injury. He could not accept his invitation to last week’s Big Blue Madness because he had a football game at Collins.
“The doctors want to protect him and I get what they are doing,” Dennis Johnson said. “Whatever they decide, I am good. I would love to have him some at quarterback because he can flat throw the ball. But he understands what is going on.”
Jasper Johnson is enjoying the recruiting process. He had a big AAU summer season to raise his stock and his father says basketball is a “labor of love” for him.
“He has put in a ton of work. He gets up most days and goes to shoot,” Dennis Johnson said. “I am proud of him and the work he has put in. I always tell him if you work enough and God blesses you, you will get an opportunity to showcase yourself.”
