Four-Star defensive lineman cuts recruitment to 10, includes FSU Football

Rebuilding the trenches is a major priority in Tallahassee. The Seminoles got manhandled on both sides of the ball last season and hit the NCAA Transfer Portal hard to add experience to the roster. Florida State will need to continue to recruit at a high level to ensure that what happened last fall never happens again.

On Saturday evening, four-star defensive lineman James Johnson announced he was cutting his recruitment down to ten. Florida State was included on the list alongside Miami, Florida, Georgia, USC, Texas, Penn State, Colorado, UCF, and Syracuse.

Johnson was at FSU in January for a junior day, marking his first opportunity to meet with defensive coordinator Tony White and defensive line coach Terrance Knighton since they were hired by the Seminoles. He picked up an offer from Odell Haggins, who remains with the program as associate head coach, last August.

Since the new year, he's also taken visits to Florida and Georgia. Johnson has a lot of suitors and the Seminoles have their work cut out for them in this recruitment. He's already locked in five official visits with Florida State yet to get one.

NEWS: Elite 2026 DL James “JJ” Johnson is down to 🔟 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’3 285 DL from Fort Myers, FL is ranked as the No. 14 Player (No. 1 DL) in the ‘26 Class per On3

Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/fZmb7mM3ku pic.twitter.com/uzrTHJbYHy
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 1, 2025

The Florida native is coming off a dominant junior season where he totaled 60 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, five sacks, two fumble recoveries, and one safety. He recorded 7+ tackles in five games, including a season-best 12 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery in a 28-6 victory against Lemon Bay High School on September 20.

The 6-foot-2.5, 285-pound defensive lineman is regarded as the No. 163 overall prospect, the No. 21 DL, and the No. 25 recruit in Florida in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.

Florida State holds seven verbal commitments in its 2026 class which ranks No. 12 in the country. The Seminoles don't currently have a pledge from a defensive lineman.