Jayden Johnson planning early commitment, Kentucky a top priority

Jayden Johnson is next in line among a long list of talented in-state standouts to come through Kentucky. Reed Sheppard started the run, followed by Travis Perry and Trent Noah, then Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno in 2025. The Trinity High School star joins Tay Kinney and Gabe Weis as four-star, top-100 prospects in the 2026 class, all players with clear high-major upside with booming offer lists.

For Johnson in particular, he’s rated as the No. 50 overall prospect and No. 14 shooting guard in 2026, gifted physically with positional versatility. It was a productive AAU season with the strong wing solidifying his status as a top-tier talent both within the state and nationally.

What’s worked for him up to this point?

“Being able to use my body as a 6-5 guard who can play throughout the whole court,” he said. “Being able to use my body against smaller guards, posting them up, getting by them on layups. Then against bigger guards, using quick moves to get by and attack the rim. I want to be a 6-6 — whatever position the coach wants me to play, but go to a school where I’m able to bring it up and get the offense going. That’d be a blessing.”

That production has led to a growing recruitment with the likes of Indiana, Xavier, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Missouri, West Virginia, Texas A&M, Arizona State, USC and Michigan all extending offers.

Who would he say is pushing the hardest for him at this stage?

“Kentucky, Southern California, Cincinnati and Xavier, schools like that,” Johnson told KSR. “They’re trying to build relationships, get that tight together and tell me how in college, I’ll be able to put the ball on the ground and come up the court, do a move to get by, come off screens, stuff like that.”

Kentucky is interesting as the home school, every kid’s dream offer growing up in the state. He’s had his eyes on that one from day one, and the contact is ramping up.

“It’s just small contact right now because he’s got a whole new team. Just being able to get that connection going is good,” he said. “It feels good because every kid from Kentucky wants that Kentucky offer. To be able to have that from those coaches is amazing.”

What does he know about the in-state program growing up in the area?

“I mean, it’s all of the NBA players they had,” Johnson told KSR. “(DeMarcus) Cousins and all of them, being able to see them play close-up and then go to the league, be successful, that is awesome. I’ve always seen that forever.”

In terms of visits, he’s confident Kentucky will get an official, but a few other trips are on his mind, as well.

“I’ll probably see Arkansas soon, Southern California, Arizona State, some schools like that,” he said. “I don’t know yet (if they’ll be officials), to be honest. Kentucky will get an official.”

Don’t expect his recruitment to drag out, either. If things go as planned, he’ll be off the board this time next year. He’s interested in being a foundational piece for his future school in the 2026 recruiting class, helping add talent to build alongside him rather than a late addition.

“I’d say spring of my junior year or that summer. Pretty early,” Johnson told KSR. “Just to have that feeling that I’m already committed to that school, have that edge to me as a building block for that school.”

What will that school be getting in Jayden Johnson?

“The whole package,” he said. “A 6-5 or 6-6 guard who can play all over the court.”

We’ll see where things go with Kentucky, but he’s certainly interested in staying home.