The ’27 DB class in the West is strong and Murrieta Valley (California) corner Darius Johnson is yet another national recruit from the region.
Johnson has a nice combination of length and athleticism, pushing 6-foot-2, and he ran a personal best 10.94 in the 100-yard dash last spring. He is a twitchy, reactionary athlete who projects as a shutdown corner and also plays a physical game in support of the run.
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He is currently ranked No. 226 nationally in the Rivals industry rankings and No. 22 overall in the state and his ceiling is extremely high.
Johnson plans to be active this spring and just made his first official visit to Michigan.
“I’m visiting Michigan on June 19,” Johnson said. “I love the coaching staff and have a great relationship with DB coach Jernaro Gilford.
“Jernaro was the first coach to take me my freshman year when he was at BYU. He was one of the first coaches to see my potential and that meant a lot to me.”
Michigan football tradition also resonates with Johnson.
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“Michigan It’s a great program and they’re known for winning,” Johnson said. “They have 12 national championships and that’s huge. They recruit top talent and every year you will be surrounded by players who will move to the next level.
“Like I said, I already know Jernaro very well and now I’m working on building relationships with the rest of the staff and I’ve heard good things about everyone. I’m going to try to come on March 28 to attend spring training as well.”
Johnson plans to make a few more visits but is still working on dates.
“I will be arranging a few more official trips in the coming weeks,” Johnson said. “I intend to visit Oregon, Cal, UCLA And Kansas. Cal is really coming for me. I wasn’t able to attend their Junior Day but I will definitely be there in the spring.
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“I also like the new staff at UCLA and of course Oregon is already a powerhouse program and was one of my dream schools. Kansas has been tough on me throughout my recruitment so I definitely want to see them. There are a few more schools there too and I’m not closing the door on anyone yet.”
