Ohio State Buckeyes grab big win on Saturday evening that had nothing to do with beating the UCLA Bruins

Johnson attended Ohio State’s win over UCLA and is now verbally committed to the Buckeyes. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound safety from Texas is the No. 10 player at his position and No. 114 nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is another major win for safeties coach Matt Guerrieri and adds to the program’s strong recruiting momentum at the position. The Buckeyes already have Faheem Delane developing behind Caleb Downs as a true freshman, and Blaine Bradford is one of the top 2026 safeties committed.

Johnson holds nearly 30 offers, including from programs such as Michigan, Oregon, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech. Ohio State has had elite safety play in recent years, and that trend doesn’t appear to be ending as they continue to add high-end talent like their newest commit.

With Johnson joining the 2027 class, the Buckeyes now have five players committed in the junior class. He becomes the second defensive pledge, joining three-star safety Angelo Smith, the brother of Jeremiah Smith. According to the 247Sports team rankings, Ohio State now holds the No. 5 recruiting class in 2027 with Johnson’s addition. November continues to be a huge month for the Buckeyes, both on the field and on the recruiting trail.

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This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Nov 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.