Florida State’s recruiting board in the defensive backfield has taken a few hits lately, but the Seminoles picked up some needed momentum on Tuesday with a big addition.
Four-star athlete Za'Kari Johnson announced his commitment to Florida State, choosing the Seminoles over offers from Oregon, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, Miami, Texas, Georgia and others. Johnson had only recently moved up from the 2028 class into the 2027 cycle, making the decision even more notable for FSU as it keeps building out its #Tribe27 class.
The commitment gives Florida State a much-needed boost after a rough stretch that began at the end of May, when the Seminoles lost pledges from four-star safety Mekhi Williams and three-star cornerback DaYon Cooper. That left three-star safety Jemari Foreman as the only defensive back committed in the class until Johnson came aboard.
Johnson’s path to Tallahassee has been in motion for a while. FSU safeties coach Evan Cooper extended an offer last fall when Johnson was on campus for the win over East Texas A&M, and Johnson is set to return for an official visit in September for the Labor Day matchup with SMU.
Florida State is recruiting Johnson as a defensive back, even though he lines up on both sides of the ball in high school. At 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds, he has the frame to work at either cornerback or safety.
His sophomore season at Plantation High School showed just how much he can do. Johnson threw for 551 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions, then added 777 rushing yards and nine more scores on 73 carries.
On defense, he finished with 10 tackles, a fumble recovery, four pass breakups and an interception he returned 99 yards for a touchdown. He also handled return duties on special teams.
According to the 247Sports Composite Ratings, Johnson is the No. 349 overall prospect, the No. 21 athlete and the No. 31 player in Florida in the 2027 class.
His commitment gives Florida State 15 verbal pledges in #Tribe27, and the Seminoles’ class moved from No. 59 to No. 53 nationally.
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