Texas beats out LSU, Houston, Cal, and SMU for in-state DL Jason Johnson

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Texas beats out LSU, Houston, Cal, and SMU for in-state DL Jason Johnson

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Jun 29, 2026 10:06 PM ET

Jason Johnson had multiple options when it came to choosing where he wanted to play college football.

With over 20 offers, Johnson had offers from all over. That included several SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten programs.

The Humble, Texas, product's interest list came down to the Texas Longhorns, Houston Cougars, Cal Golden Bears and SMU Mustangs.

He took multiple official visits, so he knew exactly what he was looking for in his college decision.

Ultimately, Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns won out. The vibes in Austin were everything that Johnson was looking for.

“Texas is a great program, full of tradition and development,” Johnson told Rivals regarding his decision. The locker room there is different. So is the culture. So is the tradition there.”

BREAKING: Class of 2027 DL Jason Johnson has Committed to Texas, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’4 290 DL chose the Longhorns over Cal, Vanderbilt, and LSU

“Trust in God’s plan. LONGHORN NATION I’M HOME. HOOK EM”https://t.co/KqXchKjlf0 pic.twitter.com/SwBCTGspy3
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 29, 2026

Johnson is 6-foot-4, 280 pounds and is ranked as the No. 52 defensive lineman in the country. More importantly for Sarkisian and the Longhorns is the fact that he's the No. 56 player from the state.

Sarkisian is putting together an elite 2027 recruiting class, and it's impressive what he's been able to do within his own state. Keep in mind, Texas is a recruiting hotbed for top programs all across the country. Not only that, though, but in-state, Sarkisian has to out-recruit the likes of Texas A&M, Baylor, TCU, Houston and SMU.

Johnson is the 21st commitment to Texas' 2027 class. It's a class that's ranked No. 5 in the country, and all but 10 of the Longhorns' commitments are from the Lone Star State.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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