After hosting one of Long Beach Poly’s elite 2027 defensive backs on March 28 in the form of Georgia commit Donte Wright, the Hurricanes hosted another this past weekend with Juju Johnson. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound DB is still exploring his options nationally, ranging from schools such as Oklahoma and Michigan alongside local options like UCLA. Johnson is a verified 10.5 runner who can slot in at corner or safety with a 77’’ wingspan. The four-star product spoke very positively about the Hurricanes and safeties coach Will Harris following his visit. Here's everything Johnson had to say to me for CanesInSight.
On his visit to Miami:
“It’s just like LA, so it’s like a second home for real.”
“I think [this visit] helped a lot. It’s my first time really on a visit here, so I got to see more and explore the city. It’s very cultural, like LA, just with more pop to it. It was fun.”
“Miami has been coming after me pretty hard. The DB coach is tapping in with me every day, I talk to Coach Cristobal pretty often, so it’s looking pretty promising.”
On what caught his eye:
“Just the way they do things and how they run their defense. With the snaps, how much their players play, and how much they play freshmen — it was a good thing to come out here and see it in person.
On the top schools in his process and his timeline:
“Miami, Oklahoma, UCLA, Nebraska, and Michigan.”
“So far I have four [OV’s] locked in: Miami, UCLA, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. The fifth will be between Michigan, Washington, and Cal, so I’m still figuring that out. This month is important for visits to decide that fifth option.
“It’s getting close to that time. I’d say probably July or August.”
“I just want to take my visits, talk to everybody and really see everything with my own eyes before making my decision. That’s where I’ll spend the next three or four years.”
On where Miami stands in that group:
“I don’t think I can give an exact standpoint because I haven’t seen everywhere yet. Once I’ve seen everything, I’ll know where they stand and what other schools need to do to move up.”
On his relationship with Coach Harris:
“I think he’s a real one. I know he’ll ride with me, and I’m rocking with him. He’s very transparent, and I like the way he coaches on the field.”
On how he sees himself fitting into the defensive scheme:
“I see myself fitting in well. I think I’m a very diverse DB — I can play all three positions, and that’s what they look for. They don’t really specify safeties, corners, or nickels. If you can play, you’ll get on the field. That’s good for me because I can play all three, and with my work ethic, nothing will hold me back.”
“Number 36 on defense caught my eye (Jontavius Wyman), I think he had a very good day.”
On his visit to Miami:
“It’s just like LA, so it’s like a second home for real.”
“I think [this visit] helped a lot. It’s my first time really on a visit here, so I got to see more and explore the city. It’s very cultural, like LA, just with more pop to it. It was fun.”
“Miami has been coming after me pretty hard. The DB coach is tapping in with me every day, I talk to Coach Cristobal pretty often, so it’s looking pretty promising.”
On what caught his eye:
“Just the way they do things and how they run their defense. With the snaps, how much their players play, and how much they play freshmen — it was a good thing to come out here and see it in person.
On the top schools in his process and his timeline:
“Miami, Oklahoma, UCLA, Nebraska, and Michigan.”
“So far I have four [OV’s] locked in: Miami, UCLA, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. The fifth will be between Michigan, Washington, and Cal, so I’m still figuring that out. This month is important for visits to decide that fifth option.
“It’s getting close to that time. I’d say probably July or August.”
“I just want to take my visits, talk to everybody and really see everything with my own eyes before making my decision. That’s where I’ll spend the next three or four years.”
On where Miami stands in that group:
“I don’t think I can give an exact standpoint because I haven’t seen everywhere yet. Once I’ve seen everything, I’ll know where they stand and what other schools need to do to move up.”
On his relationship with Coach Harris:
“I think he’s a real one. I know he’ll ride with me, and I’m rocking with him. He’s very transparent, and I like the way he coaches on the field.”
On how he sees himself fitting into the defensive scheme:
“I see myself fitting in well. I think I’m a very diverse DB — I can play all three positions, and that’s what they look for. They don’t really specify safeties, corners, or nickels. If you can play, you’ll get on the field. That’s good for me because I can play all three, and with my work ethic, nothing will hold me back.”
“Number 36 on defense caught my eye (Jontavius Wyman), I think he had a very good day.”
