Florida State football coaches received good news nearly two weeks ago when three-star linebacker Olrick Johnson announced his commitment to the Seminoles. Johnson chose Florida State over other schools such as Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Arkansas, and others.
So proud of my guy @Olrick13 we been working since he was 7 years old. He became exactly what we all knew he would. A Great young man, but a Savage on the field. I cant wait to watch him blossom at the next level and continue to make us all proud.. #Mob #FSU pic.twitter.com/2RfPjEhq3L
— Julius Williams (@JuliusTrenches) June 12, 2026
The Georgia native took official visits to Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech before his official visit to Florida State. Some Florida State fans probably looked at his recruiting ranking and yawned because they are obsessed with stars without looking at the tape. Johnson ranks as the No. 1,184 player and No. 105 linebacker nationally, but holds offers from several Power Four programs.
A couple of days ago, he received an offer from Lane Kiffin and LSU:
Blessed to receive an offer Lsu! @hoyafbrecruit @Chris_Kiffin @LSUfootball @247recruiting pic.twitter.com/SUqE9G75BX
— Olrick Johnson III 2027 LB (@Olrick13) June 18, 2026
Florida State will need to stave off another SEC team for three-star linebacker commit Olrick Johnson III
It’s early, but this could be why Florida State pushed to get three-star linebacker target CJ Ohuabanwa to take an official visit this weekend at the last minute. It’s a good sign that LSU was not able to get Johnson to take an official visit on short notice this weekend, but it will be worth keeping an eye on if Johnson decides to take an official visit to LSU during the week or sometime during the season.
The biggest thing for Florida State linebacker coach Ernie Sims is keeping him in the fold at least until the season starts. How Florida State’s early season goes will likely determine everything about the future. It will determine whether Mike Norvell will finish the season as the head coach or not. A poor start likely means some of the current commits go elsewhere anyway. A win over SMU, a close game, or a win against Alabama, and beating Virginia and Louisville early in the season would change the narrative around the program real quick.
Most of the negative recruiting around the program centers on stability and whether Mike Norvell will be the coach after the 2026 season ends.
The other part I want to hit on is recruiting rankings. Yes, FSU doesn't have a ton of highly-rated guys in its recruiting class. However, if Johnson is really a player who should be ranked where he is? Would LSU and James Franklin at Virginia Tech recruit a guy whom they didn’t think could play? Admittedly, Lane Kiffin isn’t really known for having teams with great defenses, but the point remains that high school recruiting rankings are not accurate.
Obviously, their physical attributes are important, but it's all about how that player fits in the scheme, their work ethic, and whether they are a good teammate.
There's no question Florida State needs to recruit better high school players, but don't look at a player's ranking and automatically assume they can't play because of where they rank. Was Johnson a top target for LSU? Probably not, but they wouldn't offer him at this stage if they didn't think he could help them. Otherwise, they could just wait and take a transfer linebacker when the portal opens.
Here's to hoping FSU can keep him in the fold to sign in December.
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