Wisconsin football 2020 returnee profile: Rodas Johnson

During the summer doldrums of sports news, many college football fans are starved for news and information regarding their favorite teams.

With that in mind, we at B5Q have decided to take a more detailed look at each walk-on contributor and scholarship player on the Wisconsin Badgers football roster for 2020 in a running feature, our 2020 returnee profiles.

Each weekday we will breakdown one player on the football roster to look back at their recruiting process, their career as a Badger to this juncture and lastly preview their potential contribution to the team in 2020 and beyond.

Today our featured returnee is Rodas Johnson.

Name: Rodas Johnson

Position: defensive end

2020 eligibility: redshirt freshman

Recruiting info out of HS: 247 Composite 3-star, No. 32 defensive tackle, Columbus, Ohio

2019 Recruitment: A highly regarded three-star athlete, Rodas Johnson had offers to play on each side of the ball by different programs. Armed with a multitude of offers, Johnson cut his list down to six in August of 2018 with a top group of Duke, Michigan, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas, and Wisconsin. In the end he chose the Badgers over his other standouts in November after taking visits to Penn State, Texas and Wisconsin.

Career statistics: no games played (redshirt)

2019 statistics: no games played (redshirt)

Player overview: A great athlete out of the Columbus area, Rodas Johnson was a huge get on the recruiting trail in the 2019 class. The Badgers were able to beat out a really strong offer list, and he was the highest rated defensive lineman in the 2019 group.

Johnson did not participate in any games during his first season on campus, but a redshirt season should only improve his ability as a defensive lineman. At 6-foot-2 and nearly 300 pounds, he has a solid frame for the defensive line and he is an explosive athlete. While he has yet to play with some upperclassmen excelling in front of him, he is a player to keep an eye on over the next couple seasons as he earns more opportunities.

Best case scenario for 2020: It is unlikely that Johnson cracks the two deep of the depth chart in 2020 given the sheer number of established options in front of him. That does not mean that he will not have opportunities to see the field though for the Badgers. Johnson could see some playing time in certain late game spots, special teams packages, and in goal line situations.

Likely role on team in 2020: Rodas Johnson should see another season as a young reserve and scout team member in 2020, but that is of no fault of his own. With Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand each seniors, there should be a greater chance of making an impact in 2021 when he is a still only a redshirt sophomore. Johnson is a very talented but raw defensive lineman who definitely has his best football still ahead of him, and further time to develop in 2020 should only benefit him.