Rivals300 CB Darius Johnson commits to Michigan

Michigan secured a critical commitment for its 2027 secondary class Monday afternoon when Darius Johnson announced his pledge to the program. The Rivals300 cornerback picked the Wolverines over Cal, Oregon and UCLA. 

He picked up an offer early this year, and Michigan quickly surged to the top of the list for the No. 203 recruit in the country out of Riverside (Calif.) Notre Dame High. The Wolverines hosted him this spring, visited him earlier this month and left a strong enough impression to secure a commitment. 

Cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford led the charge here, but their connection stretches back much further than his time on staff in Ann Arbor. Gilford offered Johnson his first Division-I scholarship, so they have been building a connection for a long time. 

“I just like his energy,” Johnson said. “I like his IQ, the way he coaches and stuff. I’ve been to their practice. I’ve seen how he coaches his players in person, so I can just picture myself being coached by him.”

He spent a couple days at Michigan this spring during a spring visit tour that also included stops at his other top contenders— Cal, UCLA and Oregon. The Wolverines left a strong impression during that trip and solidified the program in his top group. 

“The visit went great,” Johnson said. “The environment was great. I love the facilities and all the new staff. Had a lot of great conversations with them also, breaking down my film and them keeping it real on what I need to improve on and how they see me fitting into their system. I am definitely looking forward to getting up there again soon.”

Johnson previously had a Victors Weekend official visit planned but decided he didn’t need to prolong things before making his decision. The No. 25 cornerback in the Rivals300 is the first pledge at his position for Michigan’s 2027 cycle. 

He’s the No. 12 commit in the class overall, joining  Top 100 defensive lineman Xavier Muhammad, Top 100 wide receiver Quentin Burrell, Rivals300 edge rusher Recarder Kitchen, Rivals300 offensive lineman Jakari LIpsey, Rivals300 edge rusher Jayce Brewer, Rivals300 quarterback Kamden Lopati, four-star running back Tyson Robinson, three-star offensive lineman Sidney Rouleau, three-star safety Charles Woodson Jr., three-star offensive lineman Louis Esposito and three-star safety Maxwell Miles.