Cats in the hunt to land QB Hunter Johnson as transfer

Northwestern is in the running to land five-star quarterback Hunter Johnson of Clemson as a transfer.

TigerIllustrated.com’s Larry Williams reported this morning that Johnson, the No. 2 quarterback in the 2017 class, is transferring out of the Clemson program and that Northwestern and Purdue are under consideration as potential landing spots.

Northwestern does have a strong family tie to Johnson, whose older brother, Cole Johnson, was a walkon who played for the Wildcats from 2013-16.

Johnson was the No. 18 recruit in the nation in the 2017 class out of Brownsburg (Ind.). The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder played in seven games as a true freshman at Clemson last fall, completing 21-of-27 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns as the third-team quarterback behind Kelly Bryant and redshirt freshman Chase Brice.

He would have to sit out one season per NCAA rules and then have three years of eligibility remaining, making him a perfect fit for Northwestern’s needs.

Johnson, by all accounts, was beaten out this spring by true freshman Trevor Lawrence, yet another five-star quarterback who was the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in 2018. Lawrence’s impressive spring performance is likely what prompted Johnson to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Northwestern offered Johnson out of high school and he visited Evanston as a prospect. He initially committed to Tennessee in August of 2015 but then flipped to Clemson in December of that year.

The Wildcats succession plan after three-year starter Clayton Thorson graduates after the 2018 season is unclear. Thorson, who has started 39 straight games, tore his ACL in Northwestern’s 24-23 victory over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl last December and had surgery in January. His status for the beginning of the 2018 season is unclear, but he is expected to return at some point for his final season in Evanston.

Behind Thorson are rising junior T.J. Green, sophomore Aidan Smith and redshirt freshman Andrew Marty. Of those three, only Green has thrown a collegiate pass. True freshman Jason Whittaker will arrive in Evanston this summer to join the battle.

Johnson would become eligible at the start of the 2019 season, the first year Northwestern will be without Thorson.