Louis Riddick shades Mario Cristobal, praises Miami transfer Chris Johnson Jr.

On Friday, On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported Miami running back Chris Johnson Jr. plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. Only minutes after the announcement, ESPN’s Louis Riddick weighed in on Johnson’s decision.

“Wherever he lands…USE HIM,” Riddick wrote. “He is a game-breaker !!!”

Johnson appeared in all 12 of Miami’s regular season games this season, tallying 31 rushing yards on six carries. Johnson also recorded eight catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns in the 2024 campaign.

While Johnson had occasional flashes of greatness, he saw limited action as the team’s backup behind All-ACC Honorable Mention selection Damien Martinez. Evidently, Riddick believes Miami didn’t utilize Johnson’s full potential.

Johnson saw even less playing time in his true freshman season in 2023, making four appearances while collecting 73 rushing yards and a score on 11 carries.

Chris Johnson Jr. played high school football at Dillard (FL), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 258 overall recruit and No. 16 running back in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Johnson boasts speed that you can’t teach. While at Dillard, he won Florida’s 3A state title in the 100-meter dash (10.45) and 200-meter dash (20.78) as a junior. Additionally, he anchored a 4×100 team that captured gold during his sophomore year.

Ahead of Johnson’s debut at Miami in 2023, his high school head coach compared him to an elite NFL running back.

“To me he’s an Alvin Kamara back, definitely, will probably be around the same size,” Dillard High School head coach Tyler Tate said. “Once he gets to college, in a weight program, he’ll be about 6-0, 195 or 200 pounds.

“He can do everything, is a slasher, very fast, quick and explosive. He can play slot receiver, also outside receiver, catch the ball out of the backfield. He has high versatility, different ways you can use him.”

Now, Johnson will look to provide his variety of talents to a different program across the college football landscape.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter/X account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.