Miami and Mario Cristobal get bad news from 5-star Texas DL commit

Miami got a dose of reality in the chase for a blue-chip defender. James "JJ" Johnson, the top defensive tackle in the 2026 class by Rivals/On3, says he is "locked in" with Texas despite steady contact from Miami and Florida. Johnson, who transferred from North Fort Myers to Miami Northwestern ahead of his senior season, reaffirmed his pledge after recent game-day visits.

Miami Northwestern is 2-1 after a 49-21 win over Miami Norland on Friday night, and Johnson has played well. The 6-foot-2, 285-pound lineman was a disruptive force last fall, posting 60 tackles and 29 tackles for loss at North Fort Myers before the move to Northwestern.

Johnson flipped from Georgia to Texas on July 15, giving the Longhorns a centerpiece for their 2026 class. He then visited Miami for the Hurricanes' Aug. 31 win over Notre Dame and returned to Austin the next week for Texas' Sept. 6 win over San Jose State. There was a hope that the win over the Irish would influence Johnson's decision, but as of right now, it seems like it hasn't moved the needle enough.

Johnson took both an official visit to UM in June and an unofficial visit for the Notre Dame game. The Canes’ pitch is all about staying home to join what the current-No. 4 team in the nation is building.

Florida is in the picture, too as Johnson has longstanding ties with Gators assistants Gerald Chatman and Mike Peterson. Both remain on Billy Napier's staff, and Florida continues to recruit him, although the future for Florida and Napier is uncertain.

Until a new visit date is locked in for Coral Gables or Johnson's relationship with the Longhorns cools, the Hurricanes are chasing a committed five-star who says he isn’t moving. But, the better the Hurricanes perform this season, the more that is on the table in the recruiting world.