Four-star defensive lineman James Johnson has flipped his commitment from Georgia to Texas. The Miami (Fla.) Northwestern had been committed to the Bulldogs since the end of June but recently talked about keeping his recruitment open despite his pledge.
“It’s a great program so everything really stood out,” Johnson said after his visit to Texas. “I just liked how they run their defense. I went over the plays and all that and I could fit into it well, that’s what I really liked. But what really stood out is Coach Baker. He’s a real genuine guy, he really wants to recruit you and wants to coach you, that’s what I really liked.”
Texas hosted Johnson twice this year, once back in April and then again this past weekend when he opted to come back to Texas instead of visiting Syracuse.
The big 6-foot-2.5, 285-pounder is ranked the No. 13 defensive lineman and the No. 90 overall player in the country, per 247Sports.
Here’s his 247Sports evaluation:
“Explosive defensive tackle with all the fixings to make a living up front. More of a one-gap player than he is a two-gap player at this stage, but has the mass to dock in the middle. Added almost 25 pounds to a frame that stretches just over 6-foot-2 between sophomore and junior seasons and should eventually carry 300 pounds or more. Owns some of the best throwing metrics in the Sunshine State for his class and that lower-body twitch constantly shows up on tape as he shoots out of his stance and is quick to put opponents on their heels. Raw upper-body strength allows him to club his way around obstacles while a near 82-inch wingspan makes it difficult for blockers to establish initial hand positioning. Can get caught playing with a higher pad level and will fade for stretches during games, but hard to overlook push-back power and motor when it has been primed. Likely to face an initial adjustment period as he will see a significant jump in competition when he arrives at the college of his choice, but projects as a potential difference-maker at the point of attack for a College Football Playoff contender that can be stationed at different spots across the line.”
This story will be updated.