SoCal wide out Tycen Johnson  commits to Arizona State and breaks down why he chose the Sun Devils

Temecula (Calif.) Chaparral wide out Tycen Johnson just announced he’ll play his college ball for Arizona State.

Johnson is one of the top athletes out West and could play on either side of the ball in college. He’s being recruited primarily at receiver and that’s where he’ll line up in college.

Johnson visited the Sun Devils over the weekend and decided he was ready to end his recruitment.

“There were a lot of reasons why I chose ASU but the biggest was the coaching staff,” Johnson said. “I really like coach (Kenny) Dillingham and coach (Hines) Ward (WR coach) and love the energy that both of them have.

“Coach Ward is one of the best coaches out there to help develop me and it show in his work. There’s not many people who accomplished as many things as he did at the next level and I can’t wait to play for him.”

We talked to Johnson last week going in to his visit and it sounded like he wanted to go through the recruiting process, take a few more visits and make his decision closer to March or April.

“Going in to the visit, I really wasn’t planning to commit,” Johnson said. “I was leaning to ASU but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make an early commitment.

“Once I got there though, things changed. After I was able to spend some time with the coaches and just being there on campus, I knew it was the place for me.”

Johnson said being able to shut down his recruitment is something he’s excited about.

“It’s honestly a huge relief,” Johnson said. “Now I can just focus on high school ball with the time I have left and not not worry any more about any other colleges. I feel great about my decision and excited to be a Sun Devil.”

Johnson has a big, strong frame, runs well and is natural with his hands. He first caught our eye as a sophomore because of his size and speed and has continued to progress as a route runner.

As a junior, Johnson caught 36 passes for 629 yards and four touchdowns and added 37 tackles and three interceptions on defense. 

He has a track background as well and clocked a personal best 10.85-100m as a sophomore but was only able to run in two meets before shutting things down with an injury. 

At a rock solid 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, Johnson has a college body right now and looks primed for a big senior year on what is arguably the state’s top wide receiver room at Chap.