LSU transfer running back Ju’Juan Johnson has committed to Syracuse football, a source told me on Tuesday.
The 6-foot, 210-pound Johnson, a sophomore who hails from Lafayette, La., is expected to have two years of college eligibility left. The transfer portal opened on January 2 and runs through January 16.
Let’s do it Cuse Nation! Yall finna get everything I got! I promise ya!! 🍊 https://t.co/xQhCKooZBK
— Ju’Juan Johnson (@JujuanJohnson7) January 6, 2026
A huge congrats and welcome from Orange Nation to Ju’Juan. He is at least the second college transfer to pledge to the 'Cuse during the portal window, joining Michael Smith, a sophomore tight end from another Southeastern Conference school, South Carolina.
Johnson is a talented and versatile college football player, serving as a running back for the Tigers in the 2025 season. He's a good wide receiver and has played defensive back for LSU. Johnson can also serve as a dual-threat quarterback.
Syracuse football has scored a commitment from LSU transfer RB Ju’Juan Johnson.
LSU went 7-6 overall in 2025, and it has a new head coach in former Ole Miss boss Lane Kiffin. This past term, Johnson rushed the ball 41 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He also hauled in 17 catches for 72 yards.
In transfer rankings from 247Sports, Johnson is rated three stars, No. 225 overall and No. 20 at running back. Within the 2024 prep cycle, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, he was ranked four stars, No. 356 nationally, No. 32 at safety and No. 10 in Louisiana while competing for the Lafayette Christian Academy.
Johnson's pledge to the Orange is important to the team's running back room for the upcoming 2026 campaign. The squad's leading rusher from 2025, sophomore Yasin Willis, is transferring. So are fellow sophomore running backs Jaden Hart and Malachi James.
Other running backs on the Syracuse football 2025 roster included redshirt senior Will Nixon, freshman Malachi Coleman, fellow freshman Tylik Hill and redshirt sophomore Tyler Chandler. Nixon has said he's pursuing a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA to play another stanza.
My assumption is that Johnson will significantly contend for the starting running back spot at the 'Cuse in 2026.