Coach Bowden has become known for pursuing former Power 5 conference quarterbacks, most recently in Tra’von Chapman. Chapman committed to Akron after a brief one year stint at Ashland, a Division II program.

History seems to be repeating itself once again with the commitment of JUCO transfer, Nick Johns. He currently attends Northeastern Oklahoma A&M junior college located in Miami, Oklahoma.

Johns is a former Virginia quarterback, redshirted as a freshman before eventually transferring out of the program. It was reported that the Virginia coaching staff requested that Johns change positions which was the main reason behind the transfer. The staff wanted Johns to convert to running back or linebacker, according to an article from the Daily Progress.

Out of high school, Johns reported offers from Virginia, NC State, and Maryland. Since Johns redshirted as a freshman, he will have 3 years of eligibility remaining at Akron and will be able to play immediately. He also intends to enroll at Akron for the second semester and will participate in Spring practices.

Shortly after announcing his intent to enroll at Akron, Johns provided some insight to Hustle Belt about his decision:

“I really like their situation with Quarterbacks and I am very familiar with their system because I ran the same one last year.”

At 6-foot-4, Johns possesses a strong arm that will allow the Zips to stretch the field on offense. While he might not be a prototypical “dual-threat” quarterback, Johns has the ability to pick up yards with his feet if the opportunity is there.

To get a better grasp of the skillset that Johns will bring to the table, check out his JUCO highlights courtesy of Hudl: