Did Iowa Land the Best DB From Mercyhurst

Iowa lost out on Erie, PA (Mercyhurst) defensive back Levonne Rowan, rated as three stars by rivals.com, but the Hawkeyes might have landed the best defensive back on the Mercyhurst team.

5-foot-9, 175-pound Jovon Johnson (sub 4.5 forty-yard dash) committed to the University of Iowa football program today and the commitment was confirmed tonight by his high school coach.

”I was hoping that when Iowa was recruiting Rowan, they would take a look at Jovon,” said Jeff Nichols, Mercyhurt’s head football coach. “I think that Jovon is the better defensive back of the two.”

”He just has an amazing work ethic and what he might lack in size, he makes up for in every other way that is crucial to be a great football player and defender.”

During our conversation with Nichols, he kept on coming back to the same phrase: Jovon gets the job done.

”He just has exceptional cover skills as a cornerback,” Nichols said. “We always played him in straight up man-to man coverage sets and we put him on the best wide receiver from each team we faced.”

”Jovon simply took his opponent out of the game each and every time.”

And Johnson was no one trick pony at Mercyhurst.

”The kid did everything for us. He passed for touchdowns, rushed for touchdowns, scored touchdowns on special teams and by returning interceptions,” Nichols said.

”I think the only way in which he did not score for us was in the kicking game. But he held on PAT attempts, so he just couldn’t do it all.”

Nichols was the teams quarterback on offense and was also their best rusher.

”We run the ball more than we pass it,’ Nichols said. “And Jovon would be the rusher on a lot of plays. When he wasn’t rushing, we used him like a pulling guard and he would throw the lead blocks. He would have been our best receiver, but then we wouldn’t have had anyone to throw the ball to him.”

In fact, Nichols said that several schools were looking at Johnson as a receiver, due to his exceptional speed and quickness combined with excellent hands.

”I really think the most amazing thing about Jovon is his work ethic and his leadership skills,” Nichols said. “He really fits the mold of a leader, and he is not a rah-rah type of guy either. He just gets the job done.”

At 5-feet-8, Nichols didn’t feel as though Johnson’s diminutive stature would cause him any problems at the next level.

”I have seen him on the basketball court and he can get above the rim. And when a pass is up in the air, his fingertips are right there with the taller receivers.” Nichols said.

”What he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in his leaping and athletic abilities. He plays much bigger than his size and he just never quits.”

Nichols cited one example of Johnson’s knack for never quitting.

”Jovon was returning a punt, and our team thought that he was down. We had our offense running onto the field, thinking that the play was over,” Nichols said. “And then here comes Jovon out of the pack.”

”He is just a great kid who is very coach-able and I have no doubt that he will succeed wherever he goes.”