SEC, ACC schools working to flip elite athlete from Florida State

Four-star athlete Za'Kari Johnson is one of Florida State's top committed players in their 2027 recruiting class. It's also no secret that Johnson is being pursued by multiple schools, and with FSU's struggles on the field lately, it's not out of the realm of possibility that he does flip. Zach Blos

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What is the story about?

Four-star athlete Za'Kari Johnson is one of Florida State's top committed players in their 2027 recruiting class. It's also no secret that Johnson is being pursued by multiple schools, and with FSU's struggles on the field lately, it's not out of the realm of possibility that he does flip.

Zach Blostein of 247Sports

talked about the programs that are after Johnson, and a new school has entered the mix.

Za'Kari Johnson has been written about plenty over the last few weeks because he is one of the only committed blue-chip recruits in Florida still taking visits elsewhere. He took a trip to Texas A&M for their week one game before seeing the local Miami Hurricanes last Thursday night. Moving forward, the FSU commit is evaluating several options.

Miami and Auburn, where he will visit this weekend, are the two programs I'd keep an eye on with the Miami (Fla.) Carol City standout.

Johnson recently spoke about his commitment to Florida State, and he said that things are still good, with one caveat.

“It stands good right now. I need them to win though,” Johnson said. “I need them to ball, every game.”

Blostein echoed those words in a way, but the uncertainty of head coach Mike Norvell's future is a key factor.

He is not opposed to staying committed to the Seminoles, but Mike Norvell's job security is a serious concern. I believe both the 'Canes and Tigers are taking a measured approach to recruiting Johnson and with both of their 2027 classes largely spoken for, I don't believe either are in a rush to take him. Both programs will continue to evaluate Johnson, especially after he made the decision to reclassify from 2028 to 2027, forgoing his senior year of high school.

Johnson is one of the prospects that the Seminoles desperately need to keep. However, there's a lot of momentum towards that not being the case. The best way they can counter that is to win games, and this Saturday against the Alabama Crimson Tide is a great place to start.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: SEC, ACC schools working to flip elite athlete from Florida State