Nation's No. 3 LB Reveals Top Three Schools Amid Intense Recruiting Race

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated May 6, 2025 4:09 PM ET

The recruitment of blue-chip linebacker Cincere Johnson continues to intensify after revealing his top three college football programs on Tuesday.

Johnson (6-foot-3, 235 pounds) plays for Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a four-star recruit and rated as the No. 1 player in the state, the No. 3 linebacker and the No. 40 overall recruit.

As a junior in 2024, Johnson was named Ohio Division IV Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the All-Ohio First-Team Defense.

Johnson is one of the most coveted players in the class of 2026 and holds over 30 scholarship offers entering his senior year.

Three teams have separated themselves as Johnson's final three contenders, featuring a trio of historic programs in Ohio State, Alabama and Penn State.

Johnson has previously taken unofficial visits to both the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions. He has upcoming official visits scheduled to Alabama (May 30) and Ohio State (June 13) with a potential opportunity to add another trip to Penn State this summer.

"Blessed to be in this position!," Johnson wrote on X. "Thanks to my lord and savior! What We Thinking."

Blessed to be in this position! Thanks to my lord and savior! What We Thinking https://t.co/UGcZOrGpSo
— Cincere Johnson 4⭐️ (@JCincere8) May 6, 2025

Both On3 and 247Sports predict Johnson to land with the home-state Buckeyes, which are coming off a national championship season under head coach Ryan Day.

If Day and Co. can hold off other top recruiters like Alabama's Kalen DeBoer and Penn State's James Franklin, Johnson would be the latest Glenville high product to sign with the Buckeyes.

Glenville has produced Ohio State players and eventual NFL draft picks Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Cardale Jones and Marshawn Lattimore, among others.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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