FSU commit Za'Kari Johnson could be added to Miami's wish list of potential flips

Za'Kari Johnson might still be an FSU commit, but he'll be in Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday night.

Johnson, a four-star wide receiver from Carol City High School, is expected to be in attendance when the Miami Hurricanes play Florida A&M. He will be joining his teammate and current Hurricanes commit Nick Lennear as part of a larger-than-expected group of prospects.

Miami is mostly done with the 2027 recruiting class, but there is always room for a blue-chip prospect that is showing interest in flipping. And any player that's currently committed to FSU should have second thoughts, assuming that Mike Norvell probably won't last through the season and even if he did, why would anyone want to play for him?

Last week, Johnson visited Texas A&M, suggesting that he is definitely open for a move. And during his recruitment period in the spring, Johnson called Miami his "dream school."

FSU commit Za'Kari Johnson will be watching Miami on Thursday

There aren't too many perks about playing on a Thursday night, especially in a short week coming off of a cross-country flight. But the local high school teams that will play on Friday night or Saturday afternoon this week will have an opportunity to take in Miami's home opener. This gives the Hurricanes a chance to load up on local prospects in multiple classes.

As for Johnson, Miami was one of the first schools to offer him back in May 2025 and the general belief was that he was likely to commit to the Hurricanes. But things can change in recruiting and Miami instead received a commitment from Lennear along with four-star recruit Eli Woodard, who flipped from USC. 

So do the Hurricanes have room in the class for another wide receiver or is Johnson showing a willingness to move to the secondary? That's a valid question. Also, the 5-for-5 changes a lot of these situations for coaches and incoming freshmen because there's no need to hold the player out. 

And then there's the Lennear element. You have to believe that he's been talking up the Hurricanes to his teammate and talking up his teammate to the Miami coaching staff. It might all be enough for Cristobal to reconsider and see where Johnson could fit in the class. 

Even if Cristobal believes Miami is overloaded at wide receiver in 2027, he could give a young player a role on special teams as a true freshman and wouldn't have to worry about burning a redshirt if injuries forced him into action on offense. The new rules have opened up plenty of possibilities in roster management and could open up a chance for Cristobal to raid FSU one more time before Norvell gets his walking papers. 

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