Four-star DB Darius Johnson’s No. 1 Official Visit Sparks Heated Big Ten Recruitment Battle

The Western coast is buzzing with talent, and the 2027 defensive back group is no exception. One name that’s been turning heads lately is Darius Johnson, a cornerback from Murrieta Valley in California. Standing nearly 6-foot-2, Johnson’s got that rare blend of length and nimbleness—clocking an impressive 10.94 seconds in the 100 meters last spring—making him a formidable presence both in coverage and when filling in on run plays. With his twitchy reflexes and a knack for reacting on a dime, he’s shaping up to be a shutdown corner with serious physicality to back it up. Currently ranked No. 226 nationally in Rivals’ Industry Ranking and 22nd in the state, his potential seems sky-high. This spring, Johnson is kicking off his official visits, beginning with Michigan—a program that’s a historic powerhouse and clearly holds a special place in his heart. As he forges relationships with coaches and scouts out his future, schools like Oregon, Cal, UCLA, and Kansas are all in the mix for this promising athlete’s attention. The recruiting trail is heating up, and I can’t wait to see where Johnson lands. LEARN MORE

The ’27 DB class out West is a strong one and Murrieta Valley (Calif.) corner Darius Johnson is yet another national recruit from the region.

Johnson has a nice combination of length and athleticism, pushing 6-foot-2 and he clocked a personal best 10.94-100-meters last Spring. He’s a twitchy, reactionary athlete who projects as a shut down corner and also plays a physical game in run support.

He’s currently rated the No. 226 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking and the No. 22 player overall in the state and his ceiling is extremely high.

Johnson plans to be active this spring and just locked in his first official visit to Michigan.

“I’m visiting Michigan June 19,” Johnson said. “I love the coaching staff and have a great relationship with the DB coach Jernaro Gilford.

“Jernaro was the first coach to offer me my freshmen year when he was at BYU. He was one of the first coaches to see my potential and that meant a lot to me.”

The football tradition at Michigan resonates with Johnson as well.

“Michigan is a great program and they are known for winning,” Johnson said. “They have 12 National Championships and that’s huge. They bring in top talent and every year you’re going to be surrounded by players who are going on to the next level.

“Like I said, I already know Jernaro really well and now I’m working on building relationships with the rest of the staff and I’ve heard great things about everyone. I’m going to try and visit March 28 to check out a spring practice too.’

Johnson plans to take a few more visits but is still working out dates.

“I will be setting up a few more official trips within the next few weeks,” Johnson said. “I plan to visit Oregon, Cal, UCLA and Kansas. Cal is really coming up for me. I wasn’t able to make it to their Junior Day but I’ll get out there in the spring for sure.

“I like the new staff at UCLA as well and of course Oregon is already a power program and was one of my dream schools. Kansas been on me hard my whole recruitment so I definitely want to see them. There’s a few more schools in there as well and I’m not closing the door to anyone right now.”