Georgia and Kirby Smart are focusing on some youth and inexperience at some key positions in the class of 2025 and 2026. The lack of depth on both sides of the ball should be addressed heavily. After all, they can’t just blame OC Mike Bobo (now resigned) and QB Carson Beck (who has transferred to Canes) for a lackluster season. The bigger offensive struggle and defensive gap will be the key areas to work on for Smart and Co. Can a new defensive lineman be a boost to that mission? Well, it’s time to get on the toes, as Lincoln Riley is lurking behind looking out for the same prospect.
USC is a national brand and, thus, should not miss the top prospects around the country. One of those top prospects is Florida DL James Johnson. Explaining their stand at Johnson’s recruiting stretch, USC LAFB podcast host Ryan noted, “The number one defensive lineman in the 2026 class is James Johnson, you know, he’s from the Southeast, so it’s always going to be tough sometimes to get these Southeast kids over here to USC. We’ve talked a lot about how USC has really put an emphasis on California, which we all love. Which is great. The talent here is great, but you still got to chase some of this top-tier talent, and this is nothing against California kids or anything like that.”
#Georgia has emerged as the leader for 4-star DL James Johnson, per Chad Simmons.
Johnson ranks as a top 10 player in the state of Florida and is currently a 5-star prospect on ON3. pic.twitter.com/cChPrBQAjL
— Dawg Recruiting (@DawggRecruiting) March 2, 2025
We all know USC’s new general manager Chad Bowman emphasizes the Trojans’ chance to reclaim their own geographic recruiting agenda and dominate the sphere, building a championship roster. But looking at the talent and skillset James Johnson possesses, he is totally worth getting out of the typical formula.
”I mean, you just look at the size (285lbs). There’s something about in the trenches specifically where those southeastern states Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana you can even include Texas in there that some of those Premier prospects and the trenches do come from those States. So you got to hit him and at least recruit and see what you can do, so James Johnson is a kid that USC, put USC in his top ten, so they are in the cut in the running,” Ryan added the urgency for the Trojans’ to solidify their chance with the stand out four-star kid.
It’s a very achievable front for Lincoln Riley. Indeed, pulling in SEC kids is tough. But they have done it before. Trojans landed a handful of elite prospects from the southeast, including DL Jahkeem Stewart, OL Alex Payne, S Kendarius Reddick, DL Floyd Boucard, S Stephen Miller, and ATH James Johnson.
However, despite the effort, it’s still Georgia who leads the chart.
Georgia stands atop the red-hot recruiting race of James Johnson
James Johnson (Cape Coral, Fla.), a four-star defensive lineman out of North Fort Meyers, Fla., is planning his second visit to Georgia on June 20. That will be his last official visit as well, but calm down, the Bulldogs are still in a good position to make the mark. Johnson told On3 that Georgia is currently the topmost school in the highly competitive recruiting game. All thanks to defensive line coach Tray Scott, who played a big role in impressing the four-star kid from Florida.
“I like coach Scott a lot, and coach Smart is a big reason why Georgia is on top too,” Johnson explained to On3. “Georgia develops a lot of players, especially on the defensive line, and I learned a lot about coach Scott, the scheme, and how I could fit in when I was on the visit in January.”
His other top three schools are Miami, Florida, and Syracuse, based on his past interviews with the insiders. But if you think logically, it will be easy to differentiate Georgia from the other three. Miami and Florida make it to the list simply because they are the home schools. Syracuse looks like a wild card entry, though. Of course, Johnson had a visit to the school and liked their coaching staff and campus, but it’s still underwhelming compared to the zeal he has for the Bulldogs.
The post Georgia & Kirby Smart on High Alert as 285lb DL’s Recruitment Sees Shocking Twist After Limiting Future to 7 Schools appeared first on EssentiallySports.