The tale of wideout Aldarius Johnson sounds eerily familiar to that of Leonard Hankerson. Another highly-touted prospect who didn’t his his stride for three seasons, hanging everything on year four, NFL dreams burning strong, as well as the desire to take care of a young family.
For Hankerson, a senior year that turned it around in 2010. No. 85 had led the Canes with a career-high 1,156 receiving yards on a team-high 72 receptions and 13 touchdowns – breaking an 11-touchdown mark by Michael Irvin set in 1986. Hankerson also became the first Canes receiver with 2,000+ yards for his career and 1,000+ the same season.
Hankerson began the turnaround process in 2009 when spending the first of two off seasons working with legendary Miami Dolphins receiver Mark Duper two to three times a week, in effort to stop the drops.
Aside from Duper’s drills and tutelage, the real key seemed to be Hank’s desire to improve. “He was eager to learn and I was eager to tutor him,” Duper said. “He really wanted it.”
All of which begs the question; how bad does Johnson want it entering his senior year and how long will the window to improve remain open?
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Johnson led the Canes as a freshman in 2008 with 31 receptions, 332 yards and three touchdowns. Over the next two years, 31 receptions, 433 yards and one touchdown.
Johnson became a dad to two kids over that same span, as well, which he cites as his new motivating factor.
“I sat back this summer thinking ‘Do I want to let my kids down?’,” said Johnson.
“I come out [to practice] and that’s all I think about. How am I going to [help] my kids live better when they get older? They help me through the day when I’m hurting, tired, frustrated. So, I just come out and do what I got to do. It ain’t for me. It’s for my team, my family and most of all my kids.”
There’s been no Duper-like mentor for Johnson and unlike Hankerson’s final two years, and creating even more of an uphill battle, heavier competition at receiver for this year’s Canes.
Travis Benjamin and LaRon Byrd are two more seniors looking to up their stock, while head coach Al Golden has raved about sophomore Allen Hurns.
Phillip Dorsett is another sophomore coaches expect good things from while former Northwestern teammate Tommy Streeter is also searching for his breakout season.
Stories like Hankerson’s are few and far between. A lack of depth at receiver, coupled with a strong off-season regime with a Pro Bowl-worthy mentor seemed to be the difference-maker which earned Hank the 79th overall pick in last springs NFL Draft, sending him to Washington.
The first-year’s NFLer’s frame can’t compete with Johnson’s, though. At 6-foot-1 and 209 pounds, Hankerson is considered small for a possession receiver.
Johnson has size working in his favor, as well as more experienced quarterbacks, a deeper ground game and a stronger offensive line.
Add new offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch to the mix (instead of the chuck-it-deep-every-other-play Mark Whipple) and you have another question mark, though.
Fisch will most likely rely heavily on the run, giving the quarterbacks some breathing room. Miami also wants to give faster, shiftier receivers space to make plays, so more screens to guys like Benjamin seem to be in the cards this year, as opposed to years passed.
Johnson will get his touches, albeit is not as many as Hankerson saw last year, so it’s all about quality, not quantity. Make the most of every opportunity and hopefully it results in a revived senior season and a crack at the NFL dream in 2012.