Tag: Jericho Johnson

Top five defensive linemen signed to the Big Ten during the early signing period

Top five defensive linemen signed to the Big Ten during the early signing period #GoBucks

The initial hype of the early signing period has died down, but there was a ton of talent to explore and so much so we are breaking it down by position. We have already dove into the top five quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive tackles, interior offensive linemen and edge defenders to sign with Big Ten teams and now we want to break down a position that Ohio State actually attacked in a meaningful way at defensive line.

The Big Ten actually did not dominate in recruiting this position, only snagging five of the top 25 defensive linemen in the country and that is including the new teams via expansion. This shouldn’t be surprising to anyone who is watching the bowl games that a majority of Big Ten schools are undersized and underwhelming on the interior of the defensive line.

Let’s now dive into the top five defensive linemen to sign with Big Ten teams during the early signing period according to 247Sports. Also, other sites may have some of the players assigned to different positions, but we’re just going by how 247Sports has them classified.

4-star DL Jericho Johnson commits to Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks officially landed a commitment from 4-star DL Jericho Johnson, the No. 108 player in the 2024 class.

We’ve seen Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning place an outsized emphasis on developing and building up the defensive line since he got to Eugene, and there’s maybe no recruit that embodies that idea more than Jericho Johnson, who officially announced his commitment to the Ducks on Thursday.

Johnson, a 4-star prospect out of Fairfield, California, stands at 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, and is rated as the No. 108 overall player in the 2024 class. Johnson is also the No. 19 DL in the class, per 247Sports.

Johnson chose the Ducks over the USC Trojans, Utah Utes, and Washington Huskies.

There are several veteran players graduating from the Ducks’ defensive line this year, so it will provide an opportunity for a lot of young guys to step up and fill the void. While Johnson has an uphill battle for playing time as one of the younger members of the group, we’ve seen under Lanning’s tutelage that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough, and will get playing time.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Ducks become heavy favorite to land 4-star DL Jericho Johnson; Commitment date set for December

The Oregon Ducks have become the heavy favorite to land a commitment from 4-star DL Jericho Johnson.

The Oregon Ducks got some good news on the recruiting trail ahead of Thanksgiving Day, with multiple predictions coming in for blue-chip defensive lineman Jericho Johnson to ultimately commit to the Ducks before all is said and done.

Johnson is rated by 247Sports as the No. 108 overall player in the 2024 class, and the No. 18 defensive lineman. He stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 300 pounds. Adding someone like Johnson to the class would be a big get for Dan Lanning, who already has big-bodied players like 5-star Aydin Breland, 5-star Elijah Rushing, 4-star Xadavien Sims, and 4-star Tionne Gray already committed, all of whom stand at least 6-foot-3, 250 pounds.

Johnson is expected to take a visit to Eugene this weekend for the rivalry game against Oregon State. His commitment has been scheduled for December 21, where he is set to choose between Oregon, USC, Utah, and Washington.

On Thursday, both 247Sports analysts Steve Wiltfong and Brandon Huffman logged predictions for Johnson to choose the Ducks.

At the moment, the Ducks have the No. 6 rated class in the nation in 2024, but adding Johnson to the mix would move them up to No. 5, jumping in front of the Florida Gators.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

 

Badgers offer four-star defensive lineman from California

Wisconsin offered Jericho Johnson, a four-star class of 2024 defensive lineman from Fairchild, California on Monday.

Wisconsin offered Jericho Johnson, a four-star class of 2024 defensive lineman from Fairchild, California on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound athlete still has one more season of football at Armijo High School before he’d make the jump to the collegiate level.

Johnson has experience playing on both sides of the ball, also taking snaps as an offensive tackle in high school. That being said, he is being recruited for his defensive talents and has now received 18 Division 1 offers, including top programs like Alabama, Georgia and future Big Ten program and home state option USC.

Considering the prestige of some of the other teams that have offered, Wisconsin would appear as an unlikely destination for Johnson, but with Luke Fickell at head coach and Mike Tressel at defensive coordinator, the Badgers certainly have a shot.

To this point, Wisconsin has yet to reel in a defensive player for the class of 2024, but that will likely change in the coming months.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzzyj3n3jt6m7 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]