SOUTH BEND — Now fully recovered from mid-August surgery on his left foot, Fort Wayne product Tae Johnson is poised to become the latest freshman breakout story for 10^th-ranked Notre Dame football.

“He’s a freak athlete,” All-America safety Xavier Watts said after Tuesday’s practice. “Ever since he stepped on (campus), doing individual workouts, you could tell he’s extremely athletic. He’s just a really good ballplayer.”

A two-way standout at North Side High School as a defensive back and wideout, Johnson is listed as the backup to fellow freshman Leonard Moore at boundary cornerback. Moore was pressed into starting duty with the season-ending hip injury to All-America candidate Benjamin Morrison and the planned transfer of junior cornerback Jaden Mickey.

Recruited as a safety, Johnson is a 6-foot-2, 188-pound prodigy who projects down the road as a nickelback due to his slot-coverage skills.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that he’ll do it someday,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said. “He’s not there yet. He can learn it, but he’s not quite there yet.”

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Johnson, who was cleared for full practice participation during the second bye week, could also carve out a role on special teams. The June enrollee opened eyes during fall training camp before suffering a fractured fifth metatarsal.

“If he’s called upon,” Watts said, “he’s got to go out there and do what he needs to do.”

In addition to Moore, fellow 2024 signees Bryce Young, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Loghan Thomas and Kennedy Urlacher have seen significant playing time on the nation’s fourth-best scoring defense. Karson Hobbs, who has been learning from veteran slot Jordan Clark, is another freshman on the verge of contributing.

“I think (Johnson) really likes the game,” Golden said. “He’s long. Anytime you can recruit guys with skillsets — basketball, multiple-sport guy, wide receiver, hand-eye coordination, problem-solver, all those things. I think that’s what’s translating right now for him.”

Johnson could play in the final four regular-season games without losing his redshirt status.

“Just get him a little taste of it,” Golden said. “Get him a little call sheet that he can execute and learn and get him ready to go for the home stretch here.”

Irish coach Marcus Freeman also spoke highly of Johnson on Monday.

“It’s a credit to his skillset,” Freeman said. “He can play multiple positions. Shoot, Tae Johnson could play receiver if we needed him to. He’s a great athlete. For this defense right now, at this time, that’s the role we need him to be in.”

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football is ready to unveil freshman Tae Johnson