Syracuse football is top contender for 4-star DL; top-125 overall player to visit SU

James Johnson, a top-flight defensive lineman in the 2026 class from talent-rich Florida, plans to visit Syracuse football, according to a media report.

Top national analyst Tom Loy of 247Sports recently published an article on some upcoming visits for the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Johnson, a standout junior at North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, Fla.

Loy's piece is a subscriber-exclusive, so as always, I will respect Tom's fabulous work. However, in a post on X, he tagged 247Sports' Mike McAllister, who is the top analyst out there covering Syracuse football recruiting. This story also resides on the 247Sports Web site for 'Cuse sports, SyracuseOn247.

The Orange staff, led by first-year head coach Fran Brown, offered a scholarship to the consensus four-star Johnson on May 1 of last year, he disclosed via his X page. Johnson also made a trip to the Syracuse football program on June 21 of 2024, according to his X account.

Syracuse football is a strong contender for 2026 4-star defensive lineman James Johnson.

While it's encouraging that the 'Cuse appears to be heavily in the mix for Johnson these days, the competition to prevail in his recruitment is intense. Per Rivals.com, he holds at least 30 offers from schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and USC, among others.

On a national scale within the 2026 class, the majority of recruiting services place Johnson inside the top 200 overall. Currently, his highest 2026 rankings come via On3, which rates him at No. 117 nationwide, No. 11 at defensive lineman and No. 18 in Florida.

Speaking of the Sunshine State, Florida has proven a high-priority recruiting focus for Syracuse football coaches in the 2025 and 2026 cycles, among others.

The Orange's 2025 class at the high school level, which features the most signed prep commits around the country, includes multiple players who suit up for programs in Florida, as I've noted on a couple of occasions lately.

In 2026, to date, the 'Cuse has four verbal commits in its top-20 national class, including one from four-star offensive tackle Javeion Cooper of Melbourne Central Catholic in Melbourne, Fla.

Syracuse football coaches are also recruiting other 2026 players hard, including five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell and four-star defensive back J'Vari Flowers. They are teammates at Miami Northwestern Senior High School, which in mid-December captured the Florida High School Athletic Association ("FHSAA") 3A state championship.