This is a massive weekend for the future of Miami football. The Hurricanes will have the spotlight to themselves on Sunday night when they take on Notre Dame from Hard Rock Stadium.
It's a great opportunity to get a marquee victory in Week 1 and also send a message to the top recruits in the country that the 'U' is back and ready to compete for championships. That's the message that five-star local prospect James Johnson wants to hear. Johnson is currently committed to Texas and was previously committed to Georgia. But the draw to playing for the hometown team still intrigues Johnson, according to On3/Rivals national recruiting writer Steve Wiltfong.
"Miami is the biggest threat"@SWiltfong_ says Miami will use this weekend to host several FLIP targets for the 'Canes season opener against Notre Dame 🙌
— Josh Newberg (@josh_newberg) August 26, 2025
MORE: https://t.co/AOtkTGmTMe pic.twitter.com/cwfCehiIoD
"Miami is coming hard. He has already said that Miami is heavy on his mind, and so is Florida. So, he's giving the Gators and Hurricanes an opportunity," Wiltfong said. "And Texas, where they're at as a defense, they're very ferocious, they're competing for national titles. It's a place that James "JJ" Johnson feels like can get the best out of him, same with Georgia. That's what he's looking for, a premier program in the country. Can Miami show against the Irish that they are going to be one of the premier teams in America?"
Johnson sounds like he's making a business decision
This appears to be the bottom line for Johnson - he wants to play for a winner. He wants to be in a location that he believes gives him the best chance at playing in the NFL. Sure, Johnson is going to get a lot of NIL money. Players with his skill level on the defensive line just don't grow on trees.
Texas pledge James Johnson flashes in the backfield for a sack. Had a 4th down TFL earlier tonight. Lakeland has struggled up front all night long https://t.co/RUCrIUFsCe pic.twitter.com/olTYEAfK89
— John Garcia, Jr. (@JohnGarcia_Jr) August 17, 2025
But it's not just a short-term play for Johnson. It's about the opportunity to play in the playoffs and be part of a program where he can showcase his skills in the biggest moments.
That takes some of the home-field advantage away from Miami in this recruitment, but it also spells out exactly what the Hurricanes need to do if they want to have the opportunity to sign Johnson.
The Hurricanes have to win and the winning starts Sunday.