One of Georgia Tech’s top football recruits is recovering from season-ending knee surgery.
Jalen Johnson, a 3-star prospect from Oneonta, Ala., tore his ACL and meniscus at a scrimmage last Friday. He plays wide receiver and defensive back.
“I ran a 10-yard out route. When I broke on the out, I heard a pop,” Johnson told the AJC.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder underwent season-ending surgery earlier this week. Johnson has already begun rehabilitation and is expected to return to action in 6-8 months.
Johnson said he briefly talked with Georgia Tech assistant Mike Pelton: “They (Georgia Tech) said everything was OK, and just to work hard and come back ever better.”
Last May, Johnson committed to Georgia Tech over Arkansas State, Southern Miss and Furman. He will likely play defense for the Yellow Jackets.
Recently Johnson got bumped up to a 3-star by Rivals, and is tied for the team’s third highest-ranked recruit, behind 4-star DB Step Durham of Jacksonville and RB Caleb Kinlaw of Goose Creek, S.C.
In BYU, Georgia Tech will face a defense that is one of the toughest in the nation to score against and has a playmaking force in outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
Tailback J.J. Green said he can’t say for sure how many times he has heard “you’re one play away from playing” from Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and running backs coach Bryan McClendon.
Here is a clue that your trip to sunny south Florida may not be a carefree vacation: You’re a football team, and you lose one of your starters during warm-ups.
If nothing else, Georgia has ensured at least one thing about its season. Regardless of where the rest of the schedule takes them, whether its to an SEC championship, a BCS bowl bid or a national title, there will be no claims from outsiders that this team received too many breaks and escaped health issues, no suggestions that the road to success was lined with lollipops and unicorns.
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