Four-star lineman Josh Johnson narrows his focus to the Miami Hurricanes or Florida Gators. Will he join a championship contender or a rebuilding program?
The Miami Hurricanes continue the construction of the 2027 recruiting class, looking to add more homegrown talent. It was reported on Tuesday that four-star defensive lineman Josh Johnson is close to making a decision. He’s evaluating between two programs: the Florida Gators and Hurricanes.
Johnson currently attends Key West High School, a public institution located in Monroe County. He’s played snaps on both sides of the field as an offensive and defensive lineman. Johnson is listed at 6-5, 270 pounds, and ranked 820th nationally, 86th among defensive linemen, and 84th in the state of Florida for the class of 2027, according to Rivals Industry Rankings.
The three-star recruit received interest and offers from numerous programs, including the Louisville Cardinals, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Syracuse Orange, West Virginia Mountaineers, and Pitt Panthers, among others.
After narrowing down all options to the Hurricanes and Gators, it’s a strong indication that Johnson prefers to stay close to home. Both programs have a great history, but very different experiences last season.
The Gators underachieved, finishing with a 4-8 overall record, 2-6 in SEC play. Quarterback DJ Lagway entered the transfer portal after a horrendous season and committed to the Baylor Bears. They fired coach Billy Napier midseason and hired former Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall. The Gators are reconstructing as a whole.
Meanwhile, approximately 342 miles south of Gainesville, the Hurricanes are coming off a National Championship appearance. They finished with a 13-3 overall record, the most wins in a single season in program history. Despite nearly missing the College Football Playoffs entirely, the Hurricanes carved out a historic run and established a new standard moving forward.
They retained key starters and rotation players, including a few transfer portal additions, such as All-ACC quarterback Darian Mensah.
Johnson has an opportunity to develop under defensive line coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. He played a pivotal role in edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor’s growth.
The Hurricanes’ defensive line combined for 50 overall sacks, the most in the nation. They caused havoc on opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks. Despite losing Bain Jr. and Mesidor, both of whom declared for the upcoming NFL Draft, the roster has numerous players looking to take on expanded roles, such as edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot, and a couple of defensive linemen in Justin Scott and Armondo Blount, among others.
Johnson can join a program that has an established culture or one that’s in the early stages. He has summer official visits scheduled with both the Hurricanes on June 5 and Gators on June 11, which could play a deciding factor in the recruiting process.
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