Fullback Prophesy

Hogs saw jack of all trades Hayden Johnson at different spot

Rock Bridge's Hayden Johnson (9) takes the ball down the field during the game against Jefferson City in the Class 6, District 3 quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, at Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City, Mo.

Seventeenth in a series profiling newcomers to the 2016 Arkansas football team.

FAYETTEVILLE — Last summer, before Hayden Johnson’s senior year at Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge High School, Arkansas offered him a scholarship at a position he never had played in a game.

Hayden Johnson at a glance

CLASS Freshman

POSITION Fullback

HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-3, 250 pounds

HOMETOWN Columbia, Mo. HIGH SCHOOL Rock Bridge AGE 18 (born July 17, 1997) NOTEWORTHY Other scholarship offers included Florida State, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa State and Purdue. .. First scholarship offer was from Louisiana Tech, the Razorbacks’ opening opponent this season. … Consensus three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals and Scout. … Was recruited primarily as a defensive lineman until Arkansas offered him a scholarship as a fullback last summer. … As a senior last season, he had 137 receiving yards for 2 touchdowns and 50 tackles, including 12 sacks. … As a junior, he had 280 yards and 9 touchdowns rushing and 161 yards receiving as well as 60 tackles and 8 sacks. … Played hockey for seven years. … Volunteers as a math tutor for children with disabilities and is a Special Olympics coach. … Son of Jim and Leah Johnson.

Johnson had been all over the field at end, tackle and linebacker on defense, as well as tight end, running back and “Wildcat” quarterback in the Bruins’ Spread offense.

Rock Bridge didn’t use a fullback, but that’s where Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos envisioned Johnson excelling for the Razorbacks.

“I was a little short for a tight end and a little big for a running back,” said Johnson, 6-3 and 250 pounds. “So I guess somewhere in the middle they saw me as a fullback.

“I was real intrigued by it, and then when I saw how much they actually use a fullback, I got really interested.

“If it was something where they just used the fullback in a couple of packages, I might have looked somewhere else. But since they use it basically the whole game, that was huge for me.”

Enos’ idea of Johnson playing fullback was reinforced when the coaching staff watched him at one of Arkansas’ summer camps.

“Hayden was killing people in drills,” Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema said. “We really liked him at fullback.

“So did a lot of other people after we offered him.”

Johnson said his first 15 or 20 scholarship offers were to play on the defensive line, including his first Power Five conference offer from Purdue.

“Then when Arkansas offered me at fullback, a lot of other schools started looking at me at that position,” Johnson said. “The offers were really rolling in after that.”

Johnson committed to Arkansas last June, but that didn’t stop Florida State, Nebraska and Iowa State from offering him scholarships to play fullback.

Finally, in December, Missouri offered the hometown guy, too.

Johnson said Barry Odom — promoted from defensive coordinator to be Missouri’s coach and replace the retiring Gary Pinkel — told him the Tigers were going to start using a fullback.

By then it was too late for Missouri, even though Johnson grew up attending games at Faurot Field and cheering for the Tigers.

Johnson stuck with his commitment and signed with the Razorbacks.

“Growing up, it was always in the back of my head that if I could play for Mizzou, that’d be awesome,” Johnson said. “But once it comes to reality — your position, playing time, the offensive system — Arkansas was just the right fit.

“Missouri is just now adding a fullback, and I wanted to go to a system that was already set up for the fullback. It seemed like common sense for me to keep my commitment to Arkansas.”

Johnson got some experience playing fullback last season when Rock Bridge added new packages on offense.

“My senior year, we lost a lot of our offensive linemen and our quarterback, so we tried a lot of different systems,” he said. “One of them had a fullback in it, and so I got to do lead blocking as well as some running and catching.

“I got a feel for just about everything I’d be doing at Arkansas as a fullback, and I really liked it.”

Johnson was rated a consensus top-five fullback nationally by ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports. He had 137 receiving yards and two touchdown catches last season, along with 50 tackles, including 12 sacks.

As a junior, Johnson rushed for 280 yards and 9 touchdowns, and had 161 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. He also recorded 60 tackles and 8 sacks.

“He’s very, very versatile, and we’re going to do a lot of things with Hayden Johnson,” Enos said. “We’ll be able to play him at fullback to start off with, but then he’ll be a guy that eventually we can move him in and he can play on-the-line tight end.

“You talk about giving defensive coordinators problems with personnel groupings. This guy can fill a lot of needs for us.”

Bielema said Johnson has the mind to play fullback as well as the body.

“A lot of people think a fullback just has to be a thumper, but he has to be intelligent, too,” Bielema said. “He’s got to decipher when a guy becomes a linebacker versus a defensive lineman.

“There’s a lot that he’s got to sort through at the line of scrimmage, so he’s got to be smart, and Hayden has that intelligence. He also stays on his feet, he’s athletic. He’s got a lot of the things you want at that position.”

Johnson said he figures his experience at so many spots on offense and defense at Rock Bridge will be a plus with the Razorbacks.

“I feel like with all the positions I played in high school, it’s piecing those things together to be a good fullback,” he said. “At defensive tackle, I was hitting every single play. I played tight end and slot receiver, so I’m good at catching the ball. At running back, I saw how to hit the hole.”

Rock Bridge Coach Joe Collier was the Bruins’ defensive coordinator before being promoted after last season.

“You really don’t see many guys that are as athletic as Hayden at his size,” Collier said. “He was always in shape to play both ways, and he was able to learn different parts of defense and offense.

“We asked him to know a lot, and he was able to retain all the information and use it. I think Arkansas got a steal getting him. They’re getting a lot of bang for their buck with Hayden.”

Collier became the Bruins’ coach when A.J. Ofodile left Rock Bridge to be Missouri’s director of recruiting operations.

“Coach Ofodile was great throughout my recruiting process, even after Mizzou offered,” Johnson said. “He was supportive of me and what was in my best interest.

“When he took the job at Mizzou a little after signing day, I texted him and said, ‘I can’t wait to see you on the sideline next year.’

“I’m going to keep that relationship with him, because he was huge in getting me recruited with what he helped me do the last four years.”

Arkansas plays its regular-season finale at Missouri on Nov. 25, the Friday after Thanksgiving.

“I’m going back to Columbia for Thanksgiving, but I’m going to be on the visiting sideline,” Johnson said. “That’s going to make it interesting.”

Johnson’s father, Jim, is a Missouri graduate. His mother, Leah, graduated from Columbia College near the Missouri campus.

“My family’s had season tickets to Mizzou games since before I was born, but everybody was really great about me going to Arkansas, even after the Mizzou offer,” Johnson said. “They were more on my side about coming to Arkansas rather than staying there at Mizzou.

“If Mizzou had offered early and I’d committed, I might not have ever even looked into Arkansas. But once I got down here and got to see how great the stadium is, how great the fan base is, all the facilities, I was in love.”

Johnson said he’s been working hard this summer to make a quick transition to fullback as a true freshman.

“Seeing the depth chart, I feel like I’ve got a chance to get in and make an impact,” he said. “I’m starting to get the offense down, understanding the concepts, the formations and the plays.

“But you can do as much as you want in the summer. Once you get to fall camp, that’s really when you know how far along you are and if you’re going to redshirt or if you’re going to play.”