South Alabama’s Cephus Johnson hoping to take full advantage of trip to Manning Passing Academy
By Creg Stephenson, Al.com
“It was a really good experience for me, just to see where I stand against the other quarterbacks,” Johnson said. “We learned a lot. Eli Manning came in and worked with us.
“I feel like I wasn’t far behind those guys, or we were pretty much even. They might have had a few more mechanical things, but I feel I was right there with them.”
Johnson said he and the other quarterbacks worked on several “quick-hand” drills, executing off-balance throws and other “touch” passes. They also threw routes of various lengths and difficulty to receivers.
Also on-hand in Thibodaux was David Morris, a former back-up quarterback to Eli Manning at Ole Miss who now runs the QB Country training program out of Mobile. He has worked with Johnson for the last four years, since Johnson was entering his final season at Davidson High School.
Morris said he was impressed with what he saw of Johnson at the Manning Academy.
“He looked really good,” Morris said. “He’s a physical, strong-armed kid and he’s amongst some of the best in college football and he held his own. Because he wasn’t there (on the first day), there were a lot of people who were (saying) ‘now who is this kid?’ Cephus came in and did what he always does, which is works hard. He’s a physically good-looking kid, he’s 6-5, 220 and he can really throw it. He was impressive and he caught the eye of some people.”