What Juju Johnson Being Named 5-Star Means for UCLA

Bob Chesney has yet to coach a game for the Bruins, and has quickly become one of the best recruiters in college football.

Juju Johnson is the highest-ranked commit in the Bruins 2027 high school class and has recently jumped in the rankings. Johnson went from being the 109th-ranked player in the country to now being the No. 31 player in the country, earning himself his fifth star and becoming the first 5-star player committed to the Bruins since Dante Moore back in 2023.

What Johnson's Becoming 5-Star Prospect Means for UCLA

With Juju being a 5-star recruit in the 247Sports player rankings, it validates the hiring of Bob Chesney not only as a recruiter but also as a talent evaluator.

When James Madison had him as head coach, he would never have the resources of a power school, as he would mostly attract 3- and 2-star recruits out of high school. Now at UCLA, he has been able to upgrade his recruiting pitch while being the same talent evaluator.

With Juju Johnson being named a 5-star player, the Bruins are near the top of the Big Ten in recruiting, with a top-10 recruiting class, and it should put Chesney among the best recruiters in the country.

What makes his jump to 5-star status incredible is that he missed his entire junior season due to a lower-body injury. Johnson would show his dominance in camps as he was arguably the best player on the field at The Opening in Dallas before showcasing his two-way ability last Sunday during the 7-on-7 portion of the Elite 11 Finals.

Johnson as a Prospect

Johnson is a very dynamic athlete, who, along with football, is a track star who ran a 10.34 in the 100-meter dash, 21.08 in the 200-meter dash, 48.41 in the 400-meter dash, and 6-2 in the high jump.

While he missed his junior season, his sophomore season was very impressive, as he recorded 43 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception, and one sack on defense in 10 games, per MaxPreps. Johnson is listed as a cornerback, as that is his primary position, but has played on the offensive side of the ball with eight receptions for 177 yards and two touchdowns.

Even being listed at 5-11 and only 170 pounds, Johnson is a very physical cornerback and can hold his own when going up against bigger receivers. He can line up on the outside, and he can even be a slot corner. Wherever the Bruins need him on the field, he is more than capable of holding his own.

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