Four-Star Class of 2027 Safety Eli Johnson Commits to Ohio State

Hours before the Buckeyes kick off against UCLA, four-star class of 2027 safety Eli Johnson committed to Ohio State over offers from Florida State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and a host of others.

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Ohio State beats out Oklahoma for four-star safety Eli Johnson

Rivals ranks Johnson as the No. 82 overall prospect and No. 8 safety in the 2027 class

: https://t.co/nbBCdCIljv pic.twitter.com/MvXsiJmoUQ

— Mick Walker (@mickdwalker) November 15, 2025

Johnson is the No. 114 overall prospect and No. 10 safety in the composite rankings for the 2027 recruiting class. A native of Cibolo, Texas, he is the second defensive back to join the Buckeyes' class, linking up with three-star Angelo Smith, brother of Jeremiah Smith.

Johnson pulled the trigger while on the sidelines for Ohio State's game vs. UCLA, as he is in Columbus for an unofficial visit. Oklahoma was the biggest competitor for his services, but his relationship with Buckeye safeties coach Matt Guerrieri ultimately won out.

In six games with Cibolo Steele High School this season, Johnson racked up 20 tackles with half a tackle for loss, two pass breakups and an interception. He was an impact player on special teams for the Knights as well, blocking a punt that he recovered for a touchdown. 

Johnson has shown excellent instincts in zone coverage for Cibolo Steele, with a quick trigger on the football once thrown in his direction or out wide in space. He'll want to add some more size at the college level, currently at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, but he has a nose for the ball and could be an impact player within a few years in Columbus.

Johnson is the third class of 2027 prospect to commit to Ohio State in the month of November, joining four-star offensive tackle Kellen Wymer and three-star offensive lineman Mason Wilt, who committed within 10 minutes of each other on Nov. 2. He's the sixth total prospect to already join the Buckeyes' junior class 13 months before their early signing period.