Belleville-East safety James Johnson might be leaning towards the Cincinnati Bearcats out of high school, but Matt Rhule and Nebraska just jumped into the race with both feet. The Huskers sent Keith Williams out to Illinois to talk to the 3-star athlete on his home turf. According to Rivals' Greg Smith, the trip was well worth it, as Johnson was "shocked" by an official offer from NU.
The offer to a somewhat under-the-radar defender marks a changing approach to recruiting the 2027 class as December draws slowly nearer. The Huskers opened 2026 looking like one of the best classes in the country. Things have cooled off of late, and the Cornhuskers now sit near the bottom of the Top 25 in both major recruiting services' rankings.
Nebraska football shocked an Illinois prospect with new offer
Earlier this week, Nebraska gained some momentum when it received several reports that it would land one of its top targets later this spring. Now the Huskers want to capitalize on the new momentum by going to places like Illinois and grabbing prospects from right under the noses of their biggest rivals.
After a great conversation with @s_kwilli32 I am blessed to have received an offer from the University of Nebraska!!!❤️🤍 #AGTG @CoachTRich4 @HuskerFootball @BTHSEastLancers @BELancerFB @JPRockMO @One11Recruiting @PrepRedzoneIL @cartergreports pic.twitter.com/ScKaBSyJAh
— James Johnson 2027 (@johnson_james7) April 21, 2026
Johnson hasn't been to Lincoln for a visit yet. That will be the next step for the player that Rivals' RPM says has Cincy as his frontrunner. The Illinois Fighting Illini, Utah, and West Virginia are all strong contenders, as he's got visits planned with each of them.
Nebraska needs to find momentum with James Johnson and others
Nebraska needs to find a way to get its foot in the door in a big way and secure an official visit to Lincoln. Once that happens, all bets are off, and the Huskers could surge into the lead.
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