Coach Prime targets Southwest Florida talent as Colorado offers four-star DL to the Class of 2026

By Maliha

Modified Jan 21, 2025 12:40 GMT

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Four-star defensive lineman James Johnson is one of the most promising juniors in the nation. The North Fort Myers High School (Florida) prospect received an offer from Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders' Colorado on Friday. Sanders was also a standout out of North Fort Myers, earning several accolades before playing for Florida State.

Johnson told 247Sports he wasn’t too surprised by the Colorado offer, referencing Coach Prime’s promise to recruit three athletes annually from the 239 area code in Southwest Florida. Sanders even hinted at Johnson’s recruitment from his alma mater with a subtle post on X, featuring an emoji:

"👀."

The 6-foot-2, 260-pound lineman is coming off a phenomenal junior season, recording 60 total tackles, 29 tackles for loss, five sacks and two fumble recoveries. He is the No. 14 defensive lineman in the 2026 class, the No. 24 recruit in Florida and the No. 152 prospect in the nation, according to On3.

This weekend, Johnson is visiting Florida State, and while he hasn’t narrowed down a definitive list of top schools, he admitted the Seminoles made a strong impression during his visit. He has also been in contact with multiple schools, including Miami, Florida, Texas and Georgia.

As of now, the Gators lead the race for his commitment with a 47.4% chance, followed by the Hurricanes at 17.1%, according to On3.

Colorado has just joined the competition with this recent offer, but the connection to Deion Sanders’ alma mater could boost the Buffaloes' chances of landing Johnson.

James Johnson raves about Colorado's potential

The outlook for Colorado's defensive line is promising under the guidance of defensive line coach Damione Lewis and senior defensive coach George Helow, which is significant for recruits like James Johnson.

"My impression of Colorado was the same before they offered me," Johnson told 247Sports. "I knew they were going to be a good school, especially knowing how they develop athletes."

In the 2025 class, Colorado secured commitments from three promising defensive linemen/edge rusher prospects: London Merritt, Christian Hudson and Alexander McPherson. For the 2026 class, the Buffaloes' lone commit is unranked cornerback Javion Romer. Securing a top-tier defensive lineman like Johnson could take Colorado's recruiting efforts to the next level this cycle.