Patriot receiver one of several locals off to college level

Ellender Memorial High School senior Jermaine Johnson stayed true to his word last Wednesday during National Signing Day.

Next stop: Memphis.

Johnson honored the verbal commitment he made to the University of Memphis last July, signing a National Letter of Intent with the program in front of select family and friends at a school-based signing day ceremony.

The prospect chose to become a member of the Tigers after receiving offers from Kansas, Louisiana Tech and Tulsa, while also fielding interest from LSU and Texas A&M.

“Memphis just feels like the perfect fit for me,” Johnson said.

Johnson finished his senior season with 29 receptions for eight touchdowns and 486 yards for the 0-10 Patriots.

Because of the team’s struggles, Johnson said he didn’t get to move up in the recruiting rankings like he’d hoped at the beginning of the season, remaining a 3-star prospect by recruiting service Rivals.com, while also being ranked as the No. 34-rated prospect in Louisiana.

But despite his team’s struggles, Johnson said he believes he has something to prove at the next level and will arrive at Memphis as “the hungriest player there.”

“I feel like I went underrated,” he said. “I really appreciate everything Ellender High School has done for me, but the way we struggled as a team really hurt me bad. But it’s life and sometimes things happen like that and you just have to overcome them, but I feel like I’m one of the best and some people know that.”

At Memphis, Johnson will be one cog in the team’s frequent four wide receiver sets.

He said Tigers second-year coach Larry Porter told him he’ll have an opportunity to play early in his career because of the wide-open offense the team utilizes.

“Coach Porter said he likes my size and my ability to catch the football,” Johnson said. “And he really feels like I can be a difference maker. Without a doubt, I expect to be given the opportunity to play right away.”

A little bit of change and new blood might be needed in the Memphis program after the team went just 1-11 last season, losing nine-straight games to close out the season.

But Porter was able to haul in one of the best recruiting classes in Conference USA and Johnson said he believes that’s a sign things are about to turn around for his new team.

That is one of the biggest reasons he said he stayed true to his commitment.

“Our recruiting class is just great man,” Johnson said. “Coach Porter really did a good job loading up. We’ll get this thing fixed out there.”

In between now and enrollment, Johnson said he needs to add “a point or two” to his ACT score, something he’s working currently to do to academically qualify.

Outside of the classroom, he’s trying to add mass to his lanky 6-foot-4-inch, 170-pound frame.

“Now I can focus on getting out of school with the grades I need and lifting weights to just get bigger and bigger,” Johnson said. “But today is like a dream come true. It feels like everything I worked so hard for has finally come true.”

Elsewhere in the Tri-parish area:

Johnson wasn’t the only Tri-parish athlete to sign on the dotted line last Wednesday.

Former Thibodaux High School standout Greg Robinson honored his verbal commitment, as well, signing a National Letter of Intent to play for Auburn.

Robinson was one of the highest-touted offensive linemen in the state, fielding scholarship offers from several of the most prominent programs in the country.

But Robinson had long narrowed his choices to Auburn and LSU, siding with Auburn because of the “family-like atmosphere” provided there.

Playing with his best friend and fellow former Thibodaux standout Trovon Reed doesn’t hurt, either.

“I really just like Auburn a lot,” Robinson said in October. “I’ve been around there and I’ve taken a few visits and their coaches are just so down to earth. I just feel like I’m part of the family there.”

Where LSU struck out with Robinson, they did hit a home run with one Tri-parish athlete, signing Patterson High School halfback Kenny Hilliard, who graduated in December and has already enrolled in Baton Rouge.

Hilliard is the all-time leading rusher in the history of high school football in Louisiana.

Nicholls also added a Tri-parish halfback, signing Thibodaux High School’s Joshua Johnson to a scholarship, while also adding former Vandebilt Catholic linebacker Nick LeBlanc.

Just down the road from Nicholls at E.D. White High School, former Cardinals Dylan Ledet and Grant Chiasson extended their playing careers, as well.

Ledet signed a scholarship with Cornell University, while Chiasson inked his name with Northwestern State University.

Former Vandebilt Catholic prospect Daren Kitchen also honored his verbal commitment and officially signed with Southern Methodist University.