Ty Johnson says Maryland opportunity a 'dream come true'

Ty Johnson had one shot, and that one shot is all he needed to impress the Terps' coaching staff. In June, Ty was offered a scholarship before he came back from his lunch break at the University of Maryland's prospect camp -- the first collegiate camp he attended.

"I cried when I was offered because they made a dream come true." Ty elected not to go to any other camps after that. He was a Terp from day one.

Fast forward 6 months later. Johnson, now a three-star prospect rated as the 16th-best player in the state, took his official visit to the campus earlier this month, meeting with the team and interacting with students. When he stepped foot on campus, the 3-star recruit knew it was home.

"I loved talking to the players and seeing them interact. they were like a family," Johnson recalled. He is not planning to take any other visits.

But what can Ty do for you?

For starters, his highlight film is 5 minutes of touchdowns and interceptions.

A shifty runny and a speedy receiver, Johnson is open to being the offensive weapon that is making Denard Robinson a star in Jacksonville. He describes himself as "humble," but from the looks of his tape, he has much to brag about. As a senior, he runs a legit 4.4 with a bench max of 275.

Coming off of a junior year that garnered minimum interest, Johnson finished his senior campaign with 1,733 rushing yards and a combined 30 touchdowns.

With a number of upperclassmen atop the depth chart but not much youth behind them, Johnson could find himself getting a bulk of carries soon. If he proves himself to be college-ready early, he could follow the path of Jacquille Veii, another small-school local athlete that impressed from day one. Veii started out at running back, moving to the slot position in order to get more touches. Johnson has experience at both, and while his future likely lies at running back, Mike Locksley may have a hard time keeping the ball away from him.