No. 4 Ranked College Football RB Recruit Snubs 2 Elite Programs in Recruiting Update

Among the nation's premier running back prospects, the top-five player has announced his commitment to an insurgent SEC program, leaving two others looking for answers.

Myson Johnson Cook/X

Saturday was the day that one of America’s most promising high school running backs was set to make his commitment decision, and that day has finally come, rewarding one insurgent SEC hopeful program and leaving two other schools looking for answers.

Four-star East St. Louis (Ill.) running back Myson Johnson-Cook revealed his official commitment over the weekend, giving one first year head coach a major recruiting coup and potentially shifting the balance of power in the SEC on the talent acquisition front.

Who won the recruiting race?

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That was Auburn and first year coach Alex Golesh, who secured the commitment of the top-five nationally ranked running back prospect this weekend.

In the process, the Tigers landed their highest ranked commitment in Golesh’s short tenure, following four star tight end George Lamons, Jr. and defensive tackle Donivan Moore as the three best recruits onside in Auburn’s 2027 recruiting efforts.

Auburn wasted no time trying to court Johnson-Cook, who remained the school’s primary running back target in this cycle, an effort Golesh’s new staff continued after the previous regime originally offered the running back in May of 2025.

With his pledge, Auburn moved into the No. 12 position in the latest industry weighted national recruiting rankings with a small but promising three-member class.

Who missed out?

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Mostly, it was Miami, which was thought by some recruiting analysts to have been the initial favorite in the recruitment of Johnson-Cook.

That recruitment did eventually come down to a tight battle between the Hurricanes and Auburn in these last few weeks before his decision after some spring campus visits, including three stops in Miami since the start of March.

Also in the conversation was Auburn’s former SEC West rival LSU, as Lane Kiffin was hoping to make a splash at the running back position by adding to a 2027 class that has jumped in the recruiting rankings in the last few days.

LSU flipped top 50 wideout Ah’Mari Stevens from Miami and secured the pledge of No. 5 ATH Braylon Calais, joining No. 4 edge rusher Jaidan Bryant and No. 8 quarterback Peyton Houston in the Tigers’ now top 10 class.

An elite RB prospect

Myson Johnson Cook/X

Johnson-Cook has consistently been considered among the five best running backs coming out of high school in the 2027 cycle.

He currently rates as the No. 4 running back in the country and the No. 50 overall prospect at any position, according to an average of the national recruiting services.

That average considers him a consensus four-star prospect, with ESPN’s analysts rating him the highest, as the No. 2 tailback and 34th ranked recruit in the nation.

As a junior last fall, Johnson-Cook amassed 1,341 yards rushing and scored 20 touchdowns while averaging nearly 11 yards per carry.