USC is rolling. The Trojans have hit a new gear over the last month on the recruiting trail, and now they have their 10th commitment since March 10 following a decision by high three-star defensive tackle Jake Johnson early Monday morning.
The 6-foot-3, 290-pound recruit from Prosper, Texas just made his first trip out to USC two weekends ago, and it didn't take long for him to come to a decision.
Johnson has been on the radar for the Trojans and defensive line coach Eric Henderson throughout the cycle, and all the pieces lined up on his multi-day visit to Los Angeles.
"The trip lived up to my expectations and more," Johnson previously told TrojanSports.com following his visit. "The campus and football facilities are amazing, and football is getting a whole new facility. The school was very clean and maintained."
The commitment by Johnson continues an impressive run on defensive tackles for Henderson with the Trojans adding Rivals250 prospect Tomuhini Topui and fellow local recruit Malik Brooks in recent weeks.
Johnson had several programs in pursuit including North Carolina, SMU, Baylor, Utah, Pittsburgh, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Houston, Oklahoma State and TCU among others.
He recently visited Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels as UNC became a top contender for the junior defensive tackle, but his relationship with Henderson and the impression that was left from his visit to USC ultimately was too much for the other programs involved to overcome.
"The message to me was that they are building momentum and something special and they want me to be part of it," Johnson said.
In all, the Trojans have added six pieces to their defensive line so far in the cycle including four-star defensive tackle Jaimeon Winfield.
Johnson's decision adds to the top-rated recruiting class for 2026, which now sits at 21 commitments overall. There have been no signs of slowing down, either. The Trojans hosted several high-level prospects for visits over the weekend and have a slate of official visitors already scheduled for the coming weeks and months.
