Week 5 Player of the Week: Newton’s Zion Johnson

Newton’s Zion Johnson was joined by head coach Josh Skelton for the presentation of his state Player of the Week award.

Zion Johnson is a consensus top-250 national prospect among juniors, and his star should only rise after Friday night, when the Newton running back scored all four of his team’s touchdowns in a 27-12 victory over seventh-ranked Westlake, a team with seven Division I-committed players on its defense.

Johnson, who is 5 feet, 9 inches and 175 pounds with 10.9 speed in the 100 meters, rushed for 140 yards and returned a punt for a touchdown.

“Zion runs violently and always makes the first defender miss,” Newton coach Josh Skelton said. “He does a great job running behind his pads and catching the ball out of the backfield. His work ethic and commitment to his preparation make him great.”

Johnson is GHSF Daily’s state Player of the Week. The award is sponsored by Sports Turf.