In a disheartening day for the college football community, Texas is receiving optimistic news from a recruiting standpoint.
Four-star running back LJ Johnson has been highly sought-after by major programs such as LSU, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and many others.
He’s the No. 3 overall running back out of the 2021 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. It’s been rumored that Johnson was a lock to commit to Texas A&M, but as of Tuesday it appears the tide is shifting in a new direction.
Three new Crystal Ball Predictions were entered on Tuesday by Steve Wiltfong, Mike Roach and Nick Harris with a medium confidence score of six in Texas’ favor.
The expert averages list Texas at 52.9% while Texas A&M is now listed at 47.1%.
It’s only a slight edge over the in-state rival Aggies, but it’s a promising sign that the discussions between Johnson and the Texas coaching staff are heating up.
The Longhorns hope to have an iron sharpen iron approach in their running back room. Mike Yurcich’s offensive scheme is heavy on using two backs and has produced back to back 1,000 yard rushers. The nation’s No. 1 running back from the 2020 recruiting class, Bijan Robinson, has been heavily recruiting Johnson to come to Austin.
“Really that we can come in and fit in together,” Johnson told 247Sports about his recent discussions with Robinson. “It’s college football and running backs have short careers. With the wear and tear on your body, you need two backs to do it.”
The 5-foot-10, 204-pound standout from Cypress is a combination of big-play ability, foot quickness, and top-end speed. He has a verified 40-yard dash time of 4.42 in 2019.
Both Robinson and Johnson in the backfield would be a lethal combination.
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