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Cincinnati logo
Class of 2027 · safety

James Johnson

6-3, 185 · Belleville East · Belleville, IL

Committed to Cincinnati since Jun 8

49offer strength · No. 1213
0.8733composite · 3-star
11offers · 5 power

His offers

11 offers · visited 4
Cincinnati logoCincinnati
Big 12 · strength 64
Committed
Illinois logoIllinois
Big Ten · strength 71
cool
official visit Jun 12
Missouri logoMissouri
SEC · strength 71
cool
offered May 14
Nebraska logoNebraska
Big Ten · strength 63
cool
official visit Jun 12
Wyoming logoWyoming
Mountain West · strength 46
cold
offered Mar 29
West Virginia logoWest Virginia
Big 12 · strength 54
cool
official visit Jun 19
Show all 11 offersBall State logoBall State
Mid-American · strength 22
cool
offered May 14
Charlotte logoCharlotte
American Athletic · strength 26
cold
offered Apr 1
Miami (OH) logoMiami (OH)
Mid-American · strength 23
cool
offered May 14
Eastern Michigan logoEastern Michigan
Mid-American · strength 18
cool
offered May 14
Western Illinois logoWestern Illinois
cold
offered Jan 31
Best programs first, by what each offer is worth in our grade: program strength times how rarely that program offers (how it is made). Warm means an offer, visit or camp in the last 60 days or an official visit in the last 120; cool, contact in the last 180; cold, older or a decommit. A count is the offers on record, not every offer the staffs made.

Where he fits

best 3 of 11 offers
Best fits
Illinois logoIllinois
Has started 3 defensive backs his size since 2022; 2 in their last year, so a spot opens for his first season; even at defensive back (13 with 2+ years left)
No. 1Cincinnati logoCincinnati Committed
Has started 3 defensive backs his size since 2022; 2 in their last year, so a spot opens for his first season; even at defensive back (10 with 2+ years left)
No. 2Missouri logoMissouri
Has started 7 defensive backs his size since 2022; 2 in their last year, so a spot opens for his first season; stocked at defensive back (16 with 2+ years left)
No. 3
Need (how thin the program is at his spot) x fit (whether it starts players his size) x room (who leaves after this season), and while he is uncommitted, STM odds. How it is made. Not advice, and never a dollar figure.
Where his size starts

232 of the 1,120 FBS starters at safety since 2022 were his size (6-2 to 6-4, 172 to 198 pounds): most in the SEC (37), ACC (33) and Mid-American (30). Programs that start it most: Missouri (7), Toledo (7) and Florida (5). Of his offers, Missouri (7), Miami (OH) (4), Cincinnati (3) and Illinois (3) have started it.

Who needs him

Of his 11 offers, Cincinnati has the thinnest room at defensive back: 10 with 2+ years left of 17, 2 in their last year, 21 portal exits in 3 seasons, 5 commits this cycle (him included). He committed to a spot that is even by our count.

Starter seasons 2022-2026: six or more games in one of the position's starting slots by volume (college snap counts are not public). How it is made. Room is 2+ years left plus 2027 commits at the spot against the 68 programs mapped (the power conferences and Notre Dame); exits are the 2024-2026 portal feeds. How it is made.

Boards that looked like his

3 of 10 drafted, 1 in rounds 1-2
Courtland SuttonCourtland Sutton
Class of 2014 · S · signed SMU
9 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-2, 190
Drafted 2018, round 2, No. 40 · 7 NFL seasons as a starter
match 66
Twymond Howard
Class of 2012 · SF · signing not on record
Both offered by Missouri and West Virginia
Not drafted
match 65
UTSA logoNate Gaines
Class of 2014 · S · signed UTSA
9 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-3, 185
Not drafted
match 59
Germaine PrattGermaine Pratt
Class of 2014 · S · signed NC State
7 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-3, 190
Drafted 2019, round 3, No. 72 · 7 NFL seasons as a starter
match 57
Toledo logoDedric Brinson
Class of 2014 · CB · signed Toledo
10 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-2, 180
Not drafted
match 56
Show all 10
Ole Miss logoDamien Jackson
Class of 2010 · S · signed Ole Miss
8 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-3, 195
Not drafted
match 56
Alijah ClarkAlijah Clark
Class of 2021 · CB · signed Rutgers
9 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-2, 180
Not drafted yet
match 55
Utah logoAlphonso Marsh
Class of 2012 · CB · signed Utah
10 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-3, 175
Not drafted
match 55
North Carolina logoCaleb Rozar
Class of 2017 · S · signed North Carolina
10 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-3, 195
Not drafted
match 55
Dontae JohnsonDontae Johnson
Class of 2010 · S · signed NC State
11 offers; Johnson had 11; both about 6-3, 180
Drafted 2014, round 4, No. 129 · 1 NFL season as a starter
match 54
Past recruits whose offer boards looked most like his: same position, about the same size, offers from programs of the same strength, about as many. Past boards are offers at signing day; his is the board he holds today (Nov 2, 2026). Classes 2016 to 2026 are thin in our record today, so most matches come from 2010 to 2015. 9 of these 10 have finished their draft window. History, not a forecast for him.

Timeline

16 dated moves since Jan 31, 2026
West Virginia logoOfficial visit West VirginiaJun 19
Illinois logoOfficial visit IllinoisJun 12
Nebraska logoOfficial visit NebraskaJun 12
Cincinnati logoCommitted CincinnatiJun 8
Cincinnati logoOfficial visit CincinnatiJun 5
Ball State logoOffered Ball StateMay 14
Eastern Michigan logoOffered Eastern MichiganMay 14
Miami (OH) logoOffered Miami (OH)May 14
Show all 16 moves
Missouri logoOffered MissouriMay 14
Nebraska logoOffered NebraskaApr 21
Charlotte logoOffered CharlotteApr 1
West Virginia logoOffered West VirginiaMar 31
Wyoming logoOffered WyomingMar 29
Illinois logoUnofficial visit IllinoisMar 6
Illinois logoOffered IllinoisMar 6
Western Illinois logoOffered Western IllinoisJan 31
Newest first, from recruit posts and the national recruiting data. An offer with no posted date sits in the offers list only.
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