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May #WelcomeHome commitment revealed for South Carolina

wesby: Wes Mitchell06/09/25WesMitchellGC
south carolina gamecocks kj johnson
South Carolina DB commit KJ Johnson on his official visit.

Birmingham (Ala.) Woodlawn class of 2026 three-star DB Kejiaun “KJ” Johnson has committed to South Carolina, officially revealing a silent pledge that Shane Beamer referred to with a #WelcomeHome post in May.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder chooses the Gamecocks over offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Texas Tech, and West Virginia.

Johnson announced his commitment to South Carolina a week after taking an official visit to the school over the weekend but he had already decided to join the Garnet and Black. 

“OV was great,” Johnson told GamecockCentral. “The players really caught my attention, just how they interact with me. They’re very genuine, not too Hollywood. It was just a great visit and a great place to be.”

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Johnson, who was recruited to Columbia to play cornerback or safety by Torrian Gray, likes the Gamecocks’ defensive backs coach’s aggressive approach to the position.

“Coach Gray, that man knows ball,” Johnson said. “If you sit in on a meeting with Coach Gray, you’re going to learn so much ball, it’s crazy. Coach Gray is my dog, I’ve talked to him multiple times over the phone, this was like our third or fourth meeting. He really knows his scheme and his defense, and what he’s looking for in his DBs. I’m just ready to get there and compete.”

Spending time with head coach Shane Beamer last weekend, further solidified to Johnson that he was making the right decision.

“Coach Beamer actually surprised me with the photo shoot. The photo shoot was crazy—he had some great ideas for that,” Johnson said. “He’s genuine, a great guy, brings a lot of energy, keeps you hyped up. Just a great coach. I’d love to play under Coach Beamer. There were so many stations for the photo shoot. It was just great posing and the pictures came out right.”

Johnson, who was also receiving interest from Alabama, was originally planning to take visits to Mississippi State and Ole Miss. But instead he’s locked in with the Gamecocks.

On3 ranks Johnson as the No. 39 cornerback in the country and No. 15 prospect in Alabama.

Johnson is the third commitment in the last few days and eighth overall pledge for the Gamecocks in the 2026 class.

Twin four-star defenders Aiden and Andrew Harris of Weddington (N.C.) High committed to South Carolina on Saturday night.

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