Catch a rising star

Chicago’s Ramone Johnson will be the #1 prospect in the state of Illinois in 2005. The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder, from Morgan Park High School is one of the fastest rising prospects in the Midwest. Johnson has three scholarship offers under his belt and Scout.com just learned that Johnson is about to receive an offer from one of the top schools in the SEC.

Looking at the Land of Lincoln this year, there could have been several prospects who are worthy of the #1 ranking but after sorting through video, talking with high school coaches as well as college recruiters themselves, Ramone Johnson will sit at the top spot in Illinois.

Johnson could play on either side of the football in college. He’s very athletic for his size and he hasn’t come close to reaching his full potential. Ramone already has offers from Northwestern, Iowa State and Toledo. Tennessee recently decided to pull the trigger on an offer as well and Johnson should be receiving that letter shortly.

Johnson has his sights set high and he’s looking to play his college football for a perennial power.

“Right now my favorites are Miami, Tennessee, USC, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa and Oklahoma.” Johnson said.

Former Morgan Park standout Karlton Neal played his college football at Tennessee. Will Johnson pack his bags for Knoxville? Illinois is probably Ramone’s leader right now and the Illini coaches will now have to show what they are made of going up against the Tennessee’s and Oklahoma’s for the top prospects in the Land of Lincoln.

Ohio State has already been in Morgan Park this spring and the Buckeyes are looking hard at Johnson for the defensive side of the ball but they haven’t offered yet. Oklahoma’s Kevin Wilson and USC’s Lane Kiffin will be in Chicago in May to visit Johnson.

If there was a sleeper for Ramone Johnson’s services, it’s Miami. The ‘Canes are thin at offensive line and their offensive line coach Art Kehoe is well liked by the high school coaches in Illinois.

Iowa, which pulled in a super crop of linemen in February, doesn’t have a huge need for offensive lineman but you can never count out the Hawkeyes. Iowa assistant coach Lester Erb is in the Chicago area this week.