FAYETTEVILLE — Jayden Johnson has three siblings — an older brother, a twin brother and a younger sister.
Growing up, Johnson, a sophomore defensive back at Arkansas, was somewhat surprisingly seldom mistaken for his twin brother, who is also pursuing a dream of playing football at the highest levels. Every so often, though, people in his life would confuse Johnson for the brother who has taken a liking to basketball.
“A lot of people think I look like my older brother,” he said. “They always thought we were twins.”
On the football field, comparisons when it came to Johnson continued well before he ever arrived on campus or took the practice field for the Razorbacks. An intimidating big body in the secondary who sought crashing contact, he earned consensus 3-star status out of Cedartown, Ga., and signed with Arkansas over the likes of Oklahoma and South Carolina.
Johnson turned heads in the process and made teammates and those in the stands think of one of the big-hitters in the NFL — former Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor.
During Johnson’s first fall camp at Arkansas, veteran defensive backs Joe Foucha (who transferred to LSU after the 2021 season) and Simeon Blair made the connection, too. Blair said the freshman’s physique was that of a player who had already spent three years in a college strength program.
And a smile came to Foucha’s face when speaking to the young safety’s style of play.
“He’s an 18-year-old and I feel like he’s physically there,” Foucha said. “He’s got the body type. He’s very physical. He’s 6-3. He’s back there at 220.”
Drawing parallels to Chancellor as a high schooler was one thing. He heard it so many times he forgets the first time it was mentioned to him.
Receiving confirmations from position mates in college, from those who had been around the block in the SEC, was a different ballgame.
“It was pretty crazy that they thought that,” Johnson said. “I can see where they’re coming from, though. I watched him growing up, so I kind of model my game after him a little bit.”
Johnson, however, has more than one influence. As one would imagine, the others — Tyrann Mathieu, Jamal Adams, Jalen Ramsey — fit the mold of who he hopes to become.
As a freshman, Johnson saw the field plenty and showed promise, playing in 12 of 13 games. He played in each of the final nine games and earned starts in the Razorbacks’ victories over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi State.
Johnson finished 13th on the team in tackles with 24 and is Arkansas’ sixth-leading returning tackler entering 2022. His top performance (6 tackles) of 2021 came in the 16-13 win at LSU on Nov. 13.
According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson played 269 defensive snaps and graded at 52.4%. He was at his best as a defender pitching in to stop the run — 62.9. This spring, Johnson’s focus was primarily on bettering himself in man coverage and playing with greater physicality. Why?
“The other things just come natural,” he said. “Just having a lot more fun doing what I do. The coaches, they’re understanding the players’ perspective on things, and I’ve gotten closer with the players, especially the DBs. It was a real good spring for me.”
Johnson’s aim this summer was to maintain weight, become leaner and increase his speed. In late April he said he was 208 pounds and “feeling great.”
Should everything go as planned, it could give way to a productive season as a key contributor for defensive coordinator Barry Odom, whose unit was No. 6 in scoring defense (22.9 points) and tied for No. 4 in interceptions (13) last fall.
“It would mean a lot,” Johnson said. “It would get me closer to a dream I’ve always wanted of being in the NFL. I feel like this is a great year for me to have a breakout.”
Jalen Catalon, one of the more savvy defensive players in the SEC and the unquestioned leader of the back end of the defense, returns after missing the final seven games of 2021 due to an injury. He had 46 tackles in the first six games, including 15 vs. Texas and at Georgia.
Blair brings 33 games of experience and more vocal leadership at safety.
The Razorbacks have a pair of intriguing newcomers in the secondary, as well, in Dwight McGlothern and Latavious Brini, who transferred from LSU and Georgia, respectively. McGlothern worked the majority of spring practices as the first-team cornerback, and Brini operated with the first and second teams at safety.
Johnson said McGlothern has brought more swagger to the defense.
“He has a lot of energy and is very confident in his game,” Johnson said. “He feels like nobody is better than him or can catch a ball on him. It shows. You’e got to play up to his standard. It feels like that’s a big change that’s going to help us.
“He can cover anybody — pass, run — and he isn’t scared to come in and make a tackle.”
Opposite McGlothern are cornerbacks Hudson Clark and LaDarrius Bishop, who have talent, athleticism and starting experience. During workouts in which McGlothern did not participate in team segments, Rison native Malik Chavis stepped in and flashed length and ball skills.
“I think Malik Chavis can play every spot we have on the back end. I really do,” Odom said. “He’s that skilled athletically. I think we’re trying to find his best spot and it may be corner, but also I know if we had an injury or something at one of the safety spots, Malik could step in today because he’s played it before, and he could go step in and hopefully not miss a beat.”
In Odom’s eyes, Myles Slusher, who started the final seven games last fall, can do the same.
“He can play either of the corner spots, any of the safety spots and the nickel position,” Odom said. “That’s hard to do. There’s not many guys that can do that, in my opinion, at the level that he’s doing it.”
Redshirt freshman Keuan Parker and junior Khari Johnson played Arkansas coach Sam Pittman’s physical brand of football during the spring and made pushes for increased playing time. Johnson was sound in coverage and tough on matchups, and Parker tallied a pass breakup in the spring showcase.
“I feel like we’re going to be very good,” Jayden Johnson said. “Our defense is going to go as far as the defensive backs group takes us, and everybody in the DB rooms knows that. We play at a high standard.
“I feel like a lot of great things are coming. That’s really it. I don’t see nothing but great things coming from me and the DB room. The people I’m playing around, I know they’re going to do what they’ve got to do, and I like the pressure. I know I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do.”
This article first appeared in the 2022 Hawgs Illustrated football preview