Ironton, Ohio, High School Josh Johnson made an official visit to Louisville
Josh Johnson, a safety from Ironton High School in Ohio, has already visited the University of Louisville campus. Despite his familiarity with the campus, Johnson found his official visit this past weekend to exceed his expectations.
“I loved it up there,” Johnson told Cardinal Authority. “I loved my time there, I loved meeting new people and seeing new things and building relationships. It was more than I thought it would be.”
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Johnson has upcoming official visits scheduled to Penn State on June 7 and Iowa on June 21. Although he was initially planning to make a decision later this summer, Johnson confirmed that he will “for sure” be making the visit to Penn State next weekend and may then re-evaluate before making his final decision.
“After my visit next week, I might change things up and make my decision,” Johnson said. “Everything revolves around that visit right now.”
The hard-hitting, physical safety revealed that Louisville’s pitch included the potential for early playing time. Last season, Johnson recorded four interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns, along with 68 tackles.
The Cardinals’ staff believes Johnson is ready to contribute immediately. “They talked about my size, my height and weight, and how I am ready when I come out of high school,” Johnson said. “They said I play for a great high school and a real coach and that I will be ready to play. They don’t want to waste any time and redshirt me; they want to put me on the field when I get there.”
Johnson attributes his gritty, hard-nosed defensive mindset to watching his older brother play middle linebacker. “I’ve always had that defensive mindset,” he added.
“To be honest, when my brother was in high school I would always watch his games and I paid more attention to the defensive side of the ball,” Johnson said. “He was a middle linebacker, so anybody that knows football knows that’s the head of the defense, and I would always watch him. So, yeah, I think that’s where mine comes from.”
247Sports ranks Johnson as the No. 78 safety nationally and the No. 36 overall prospect in Ohio. In addition to his offer from Louisville, the three-star recruit holds offers from Boston College, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee, West Virginia, and others, totaling 17 offers.
Louisville has six commitments in the Class of 2025, including:
– Oxford, Ala., quarterback Mason Mims
– Buford, Ga., wide receiver Jordan Allen
– North Oldham High School offensive lineman Gradey Anthony
– Westerville, Ohio, offensive lineman Jake Cook
– Wapakoneta, Ohio, tight end Grant Houser
– Ryle High School defensive lineman Dillon Smith