The biggest recruiting story for Miami this season will be the ability to flip local 5-star prospects James "JJ" Johnson and Calvin Russell. Both prospects were in attendance for Sunday's win against Notre Dame and the fallout has been very positive.
Russell left the game impressed and excited after seeing his best friend, Malachi Toney, ball out. But Russell, a Syracuse commit, is going to play this part of his recruitment slowly. Meanwhile, Johnson, a Texas commit, may have good news for Hurricanes fans sooner rather than later. On3/Rivals national recruiting writer Chad Simmons said he believes the defensive lineman is in line for a flip.
Who's more likely to FLIP to Miami?? 🤔
— Josh Newberg (@josh_newberg) September 3, 2025
"Right now I'd say James Johnson"@ChadSimmons_ says the 'Canes win is having a "huge" impact on recruiting 🙌
MORE: https://t.co/UosExxyChV pic.twitter.com/7vF68bOxuT
"I think if I had to pick today, I might pick James Johnson. He's already flipped once, so we know that's not a problem for him," Simmons said. "I think Calvin [Russell] is trying to be more quiet about where he's at with Miami, whereas James just speaks the truth. When I was talking to him after the visit, he just said, "stay tuned" about his commitment to Texas and kind of how he feels about Miami."
"L:ook he'll be back at Miami this season for more games, and he'll likely be at Texas for a game or two, but again, you look at that distance," Simmons continued. "Do you want to fly to Austin, Texas from South Florida or drive 15 minutes down the road where your family can see you at Miami?"
It feels like it's just a matter of time
Miami is trending in the right direction for both Johnson and Russell, but Simmons is right to say that Johnson is a little more ready to pull the trigger between the two of them. Russell seems to have a strong relationship with Syracuse coach Fran Brown, and it's one that means a lot to him. Even if Russell is going to flip to Miami, he's not going to do it in a fashion that hurts Brown.
Johnson, on the other hand, has been very open that he wants to be in a top-flight program that can get the best football out of him. That's why he initially selected Georgia and that's why he flipped to Texas. If he believes Miami can get to the playoffs and compete for championships, that's going to be the deciding factor in whether he makes the switch.
Mario Cristobal and his staff covet both prospects and, in order to convince them to become 'Canes, it will take some work on and off the field.