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Penn State Nittany Lions hoping to pull off massive upset against Big Ten juggernaut for priority recruit in their backyard

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Ryan Roberts | Last updated May 7, 2025 4:03 PM ET

In terms of versatility, there may not be a defender in the 2026 recruiting class that can do more than Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville linebacker Cincere Johnson. That positional flexibility, and playmaking upside has made Johnson a very valuable commodity on the college level. Depending on what school you talk to, different staffs have recruited him at several different positions, but now we have a deeper understanding about where Johnson may end up.

It was announced on Tuesday that Johnson was down to three schools. The finalists for the Ohio standout are the Ohio State Buckeyes, Alabama Crimson Tide , and Penn State Nittany Lions. The latter is a bit of the wildcard of that group. If you followed this recruitment, you know that the Buckeyes have been the team to beat for a while now. Penn State, however, hasn't given up.

NEWS: Elite 2026 LB Cincere Johnson is down to 3 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’3 225 LB from Cleveland, OH is ranked as a Top 40 Recruit in the ‘26 Class (No. 3 LB) per On3

Where Should He Go? https://t.co/bc15wU0MqA pic.twitter.com/zVLBFXlNYx
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 6, 2025

Johnson is currently rated as a four-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms. He is rated as the No. 101 overall player, No. 6 linebacker, and No. 3 player in the state of Ohio in the 2026 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite ranking. The Ohio native ranks even higher on the On3 Industry ranking, currently sitting as the No. 88 overall player in the class.

In terms of offer lists, you aren't going to find more impressive than Johnson. Outside of his three finalists, Johnson has also been offered by Notre Dame, Oregon, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC, Texas A&M, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Missouri, Michigan State, Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Maryland, Purdue, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Minnesota, Stanford, UCLA, and Cincinnati among several others.

At 6-3 and 225 pounds, some schools have pursued Johnson as an inside linebacker, while others think he could be a difference maker on the edge. During his breakout sophomore season back in 2023, Johnson finished that year with 121 total tackles, 24 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and three forced fumbles.

As of today, Ohio State is viewed as the leader. Alabama is believed to be running second, and making things a bit differently. Penn State, in contrast, is a unique inclusion on this list. There is no telling if they can trend up the list, but they are clearly at least in the conversation.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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