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Georgia lands commitment from elite DL James Johnson

Jeremy Johnsonby:Jeremy Johnson•06/28/25•

JeremyO_Johnson

James Johnson
Photo courtesy of James Johnson's Instagram account.

Cape Coral (Fla.) Northwestern four-star defensive lineman James Johnson is Georgia’s 24th commitment in the class of 2026.

The Bulldogs landed the pledge of the No. 15 overall prospect in the 2026 On3 Rankings on Saturday. Johnson chose Georgia over Florida, Florida State and Miami.

Georgia blew the four-star defensive lineman away. It didn’t take long.

Johnson took an unofficial visit to Georgia in the winter that he felt flipped his recruitment upside down. Georgia’s culture caught Johnson off guard and grabbed his attention.

“The culture at Georgia is special,” Johnson said to DawgsHQ Back on Feb. 1. “You can feel the energy and the sense of brotherhood throughout the building. Everyone there is locked in on development both on and off the field… It was definitely an honor to be considered one of their top targets. Georgia is a powerhouse program, so knowing they see me as someone who fits what they’re building means a lot. It shows that my hard work is paying off and it’s exciting to be in this position.”

Johnson is also high on the combination of head coach Kirby Smart and defensive line coach Tray Scott.

“Jonas Jennings’ approach to player development put a lot of things into perspective for me,” Johnson said in February. “Also, coach Scott and coach Kirby Smart have an awesome dynamic. You can tell they have a great vision for the program.”

James Johnson’s official visit to Georgia seals the deal

In the time since Georgia’s initial impression, in-state programs like Miami and Florida made their runs. Georgia made a final push on Johnson’s official visit back on May 30.

Athens feels special to Johnson.

“My feeling at Georgia this weekend was amazing, as always,” Johnson told On3’s Chad Simmons on June 1. “Every time I step on campus, it feels special.

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