Kalen DeBoer's Alabama offers scholarships to 2026 class prospect and 4-star DL James Johnson 

Four-star defensive lineman James Johnson, from North Fort Myers High School in Florida, is one of the most promising prospects in the 2026 class. He has received offers from Syracuse, Indiana, Louisville, Florida Atlantic and Florida A&M, among others.

Kalen DeBoer's Alabama entered the race on Friday by extending an offer to Johnson. The prospect shared the news on X:

"Blessed to say I have received a offer from the University of Alabama @freddierch8 @CoachPasquale @NFMHS_Football @MohrRecruiting @Andrew_Ivins @adamgorney @239Sneddon."

The Crimson Tide has cornerback Dorian Barney committed to the 2026 class.

During his sophomore season in 2023, Johnson recorded 51 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hurries, seven sacks and three forced fumbles. He also excels in track and field, where he's a district champion and state qualifier in shot put.

On3 ranks James Johnson as the No. 300 overall prospect in the nation, the No. 23 defensive lineman in the 2026 class and the No. 58 recruit in Florida. He's also ranked by 247 Sports as the No. 197 overall prospect nationally, the No. 21 defensive lineman in the class and the No. 33 recruit in the state.

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Which programs are leading the race for James Johnson's commitment?

According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Gators lead the race to secure James Johnson's commitment with a 39.6% chance. His recruitment has heated up since the NCAA allowed college coaches to begin contacting the upcoming junior class, and Florida wasted no time in reaching out.

Florida’s defensive line coach Gerald Chatman has been one of Johnson’s primary contacts, along with off-field staffers Jeremy Patterson and Luis McLeod.

"They have a nice facility and a really nice campus," Johnson told Swamp 247. "When we got ready to leave, Coach (Gerald) Chatman was talking to me, and he let me know I had an offer from them."

Johnson unofficially visited the Gators on June 10 before attending their Grill in the Ville recruiting cookout.

"Experiencing it, we did the scavenger hunt, and I really enjoyed that," Johnson said.

"Bonding with some people there that could be my future teammates. I got to bond with the coaches. Speak with Coach Chatman and coach Lu (Luis Mcleod). I got to spend some time with Coach Billy Napier too. I just enjoyed it."

Florida has three players committed to the 2026 class, which ranks No. 8 in the nation and No. 4 in the SEC.

Although Florida leads the race, several other programs are still in contention. USF holds a 12.3% chance of earning James Johnson’s commitment, while Miami and UCF are also in the mix with 10.5% and 8.8% chances, respectively.