Hollywood (FL) DB Johnathan Aiken is rising fast on the recruiting boards of many a BCS school after his recent performances.  He broke the seal with his first offer from Marshall and his first BCS offer from South Florida in the last 2 weeks.  The interest level is climbing like that first hill on a roller coaster.  Aiken has his hands in the air, waiting for that last click of the chain, ready for the ride to begin.  ThaRinger had the chance to catch up with Johnathan recently to get the latest on his recruiting.

Johnathan Aiken – Florida #78.
5'11", 185 / CB / Chaminade
Early Projected Ranking: 5.7/

Smith: Johnathan, how you doing, man? 

Aiken: Good, real good.  Just throwing the ball around with Curt. 

Smith: Do you prefer John or Johnathan?

Aiken: Doesn't matter.  So many people call me J, John, Johnathan.  I mean, hey, whatever comes to your mind first.  As long as you're calling me with an offer, you can call me Johnny!

Smith: I’m not keeping you from a workout or anything?

Aiken: No, we work out Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays as a team.  We're in the weight room trying to get bigger, stronger for next year.

Smith: So you’re not involved in any other sports this year?

Aiken: Not this year.  We got a lot of newcomers and someone had to lead the workouts in the weight room.  So I didn't participate in any other sports this year.  But I ran track last year and I'm probably going to run track next year. 

Smith: Cool.  Alright then let’s start off with your measurables.

Aiken: I’m 5'11”, 185 pounds, and my forty is a 4.37 (hand timed, last summer at Chaminade).

Smith: And what offers do you have right now?

Aiken: Marshall and USF.  But I know for sure a couple others are just waiting until Spring.  Like UCF, they want to offer me.  They were the first ones I was really hearing from.  They said they want to wait on my official transcripts.  But I'm not really going to worry about that cause I have like a 2.54.  I took the ACT and I got an 18.  So I think I should be pretty good but they just want to make sure of my eligibility first.  They want to see it black and white.

Smith: Of those two and all of the others recruiting you, who is recruiting you the hardest?

Aiken: Marshall and USF.  I didn't attend Marshall’s junior day but I attended USF's junior day.  I play with the South Florida Express in a 7 on 7 league.  Me, Jeremy (Cash), and a lot of others went up there and met the coaches.  They actually offered about 6 of us after that. There was a group of about 24 of us cause we had a tournament there.  Their junior day was the same week so we went and met the coaches.  I actually like USF a lot.  I think that's a good program.  They got some good boys over there trying to make a change in their program.  They have a great coaching staff.  Their coaching staff is really dedicated.  USF is probably my top.  In my top 3 at least.  But, I'm really open right now cause I've got a lot of big schools looking at me.  Everybody’s talking to me saying they're going to come see me in spring.  So I'm just trying to get better so I can impress a lot of coaches this spring.  I call different coaches.  I always call Florida.  I always call Florida State, they always talk to me.  West Virginia likes me, Oregon likes me.  So I talk to many different coaches and they all say they're going to come see me in spring.  So I'm just trying to get ready.  But I haven't really set my mind yet.  When the coaches start coming through, I'll start thinking about where I want to go and what I need to do to get there.

Smith: Who was your favorite team growing up?

Aiken: Miami.  Still is too.  All day Hurricanes.  I like Ed Reed.  I like how he just sits back there and destroys coverages.  I grew up liking Sean Taylor.  That was always my team.  But you know, it’s not about that now.  Now it’s about the future, not what was.  It’s about what’s next.

Smith: What positions have you played and what positions are you being recruited for?

Aiken: I play running back and safety.  Actually Florida State and I just talked to Tennessee State and they like me at running back.  I'm kind of an athlete but I love defense, DB.  I ain't even thinking interception back there.  I'm just putting a helmet in their chest.  Line 'em up and let's go.  I don't even want interceptions.  Coach tells me all the time to go for the interception.  I tell him, ‘coach I can't.  I'm sorry coach, I got to knock 'em out.’ 

Smith: So would you say your tackling and your aggressiveness are the strongest parts of your game?

Aiken: Got to be my tackling.  Everyday.  Practice every day on tackling.  I can't miss an open field tackle.  I'm always working on it so now it's like second hand.

Smith: How about the things you want to work on.  What do you need to improve on for the next level?

Aiken: For the next level I want to work on my man to man coverage.  I feel you can always get better there.  Sooner or later you're going to get matched up on a man. If I'm a safety, a corner doesn’t matter.  That's why I wanted to participate in that 7 on 7.  Cause it's almost all man to man.  Nobody to help you.  We had the one tournament in Tampa.  That was like the best (players) in all of Florida.  We qualified for the Nationals in July down in Alabama.  That's when we'll play the top 3 teams from every state.  So that's the best of the best. 

Smith: Do you have a preference for safety or corner and what scheme do you feel best fits your skills?

Aiken: I like free safety or strong safety.  But a lot of coaches I talk to say they might like me at corner better cause I'm kind of a cover guy anyway.  So on the next level, I don't even think it will matter to me.  Corner, inside the box, outside.  As long as I'm on the field.  But you know, that line of scrimmage, man.  Hold up.  I love that line of scrimmage.  That's where all the noise is at!  That's where all the talking is.  I can't be on that island by myself.  It's boring over there!  Put me on that line of scrimmage. They can't shut me up out there cause I back it up.  You know?  What can they say?

Smith: You’re energy and passion for the game really shows up on video.  Even in the other interviews I’ve seen with you.  You’re so upbeat I just wonder if you’ve ever had a bad day?

Aiken: Yeah, I have some bad days but it seems like once that bell rings to get out of school, once I see that football field, I can just release it.  I feel like that's where I can be my best, my happiest.  I bring my energy.  So I have bad days and all but when the bell rings, it's time to play.  I turn that switch on and just let go.  I'm always ready to put it on.

Smith: Speaking of school, there’s talk that you and your teammates, Jerrard Randall and Curt Evans, are going to be a package deal.  Any truth to that?

Aiken: We talk about different schools.  Some of the schools one of us might not like cause of location.  But, like we talk about Florida, Ohio State, Oregon.   We talk about just those three mostly.  The three of us actually went together as a group to the Florida junior day.  Then, the Oregon coach came down.  He talked to all 3 of us. A lot of coaches talk to us together.  And we'll talk over that school as a whole together.  Cause if I might like Florida for instance, but they might want a receiver and a quarterback.  So they might not have a spot for me as a DB.  So we talk about the different schools and see if position wise all of us can go there.

Smith: So, you’re saying you guys are a package deal?

Aiken: Not at all, no.  Make that clear.  We talk about it a lot.  It’d be great and all, but no.  If that works out, we’d all jump at it I think but til it does it’s just another thing.

Smith: How about goals.  What are some of the things you and the other upcoming seniors like Curt and Jerrard are targeting for team goals?

Aiken: Right now.  We're trying to go undefeated.  We're trying to go to state.  I don't know how we fell one game short last year, but that feeling… that feeling was terrible.  I just think of my team, man.  They cried for like the whole weekend and I cried for like a week.  I did everything I could you know.  I sprained my ankle the week before that, the 2nd round of the playoffs.  I wasn't supposed to play.  I was supposed to be out at least a month on a swollen ankle, but I played anyway.  I played my heart out in that game and I don't ever want to feel that again.  But I bring that back into the weight room and we just use it as a team.  I'm just trying to get better and better.  Get that taste out of my mouth. 

We actually tried to get that team (Tampa Catholic) up for the first game of the season but I guess they didn't want to play us.  They seen enough I guess but I want them.  We'll get 'em though, one game at a time, we'll get to 'em again.

Smith: Why do you think Chaminade doesn’t get the same kind of buzz that a St. Thomas or a Miami Northwestern does?

Aiken: I don't know. Actually we just really got out here and we're trying to put Chaminade back on the map where they're supposed to be at.  They used to be way good back in the day.  So I guess they fell off for a couple years.  Then we got Coach T (Tyrrell) in here and we got some more players to put us back where we need to be at.  We're trying to get it there.  Coach T’s only been here 2 years.  Last year and then he was here one year before me. So this was only his 2nd year.  We’ll get it back in time.

Smith: So Coach Tyrrell is the one who brought the team up for the OSU camp last summer?

Aiken: Yeah, when I transferred last summer, he took a group of us to OSU.  I did good. I was a sophomore, going to be a junior and I got defensive MVP for the whole camp.  Jerrard got offensive MVP as a QB. All of us pretty much like Ohio State cause if we can go together, we can.  But if we can't then it's unfortunate. All of us are close though.

Smith: When do you think you might know where you want to go?

Aiken: Maybe next year.  I don't know for sure.  I need to talk to my family.  Actually my goal for next year is to play in the ESPN UnderArmour game and make my decision on there.  I actually talked to a guy and me, Curt, and Jerrard should all get an invite for that next year.  I'd like to make my announcement at that game or somewhere around that time. 

Smith: Do you think you’ll need all of your official visits to make your decision?

Aiken: I think I'm going to take all 5 visits.  My coach is always telling me to enjoy the recruiting process and even if I go to one college and love it, the next college is going to have the same things.  So, I'm going to weigh my options and take all 5 of them. 

Smith: How about a major.  Do you have one in mind yet?

Aiken: I was thinking about a couple but I think I maybe want to try sports broadcasting.  Something in that field.  That's the life.  Those broadcasters live it right there on ESPN every day.  That's what I want to do.  That or Sports medicine.  I work with my trainer a lot and he's teaching me a lot of things. 

Smith: And finally, do you have anything else to add?  Any message for the schools recruiting you or fans of those schools?

Aiken: Just that if they don't know about me this year, they will.  That just means I got to work harder to get my name out there for next year.  You can count on it that I will.

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