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WATCH: Highlights of new Georgia DL commit James Johnson

Jake Reuseby: Jake Reuse06/30/25ReuseRecruiting
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(Chad Simmons/On3)

In what was perhaps the biggest get of the entire last week for the Georgia Bulldogs, standout defensive lineman, James Johnson, announced his commitment to Kirby Smart and Tray Scott on Saturday afternoon.

Ranked as the nation’s No. 2 defensive lineman in the Class of 2026 per the On3 Industry Ranking, Johnson ranks as the nation’s 47 overall prospect and the No. 6 prospect in Florida for the cycle per the same metric.

In On3’s own rankings, however, Johnson stacks up even higher, coming in as the No. 1 defensive lineman and No. 15 overall prospect.

Johnson becomes the twenty-fourth commitment of the Class of 2026 for the Bulldogs, a group that was ranked as the nation’s No. 3 overall class prior to his commitment. He joins fellow defensive linemen Seven Cloud, Carter Luckie, and Corey Howard in the cycle for the Bulldogs.

When you turn on the tape, it’s not hard to see why Tray Scott and company were pouring in on Johnson. At 6-foot-2 and a half, 285 pounds, Johnson flashes impressive power, knocking would-be blockers back with ease. Once he’s through the line, he shows the closing speed necessary to be a consistent disruptor in the backfield, with sacks and tackles for loss abounding.

WATCH JAMES JOHNSON HIGHLIGHTS

“My feeling at Georgia this weekend was amazing, as always,” Johnson told On3’s Chad Simmons following his official visit to the Classic City. “Every time I step on campus, it feels special. Some things that stood out to me were spending quality time with the coaches, seeing how everything operates around the program, touring the facilities, connecting with the players and getting a feel for the culture.”

He clearly felt the love on that trip, as well.

“I spent time with coach Scott and his message was clear — he really wants to coach me and made it known that I’m a priority for Georgia. And not just him, but every coach I interacted with made me feel like I was truly a priority. That means a lot,” Johnson told Simmons. This visit absolutely helped Georgia and it helped me put a lot of things into perspective. It was an eye-opener in a great way.”

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