Bearcats land verbal from LB

With many teams having completed their regular season this weekend, the stretch run of the recruiting process kicks off this week. Cincinnati still has one more game remaining in their regular season, but the Bearcats started the all-important winter recruiting period with a commitment on Sunday.

Linebacker Percy Johnson transferred from Madison Heights (Mich.) Madison to Chagrin Falls (Ohio) Kenston in the off-season. After making the move, Cincinnati's interest in the 6-1, 225-pound prospect elevated and they eventually offered. On Sunday, Johnson rewarded the Bearcats with a commitment.

"They didn't know it was coming," Johnson reported. "I just did a verbal commit over the phone with my recruiter and linebackers coach [John Jancek]. He was really happy. He was ready to go into a meeting, so that was probably a good way to go into a meeting."

Johnson will take an official visit to Cincinnati this weekend, and plans to discuss the commitment in depth with the other members of the Bearcats coaching staff. He has no plans to visit any other programs.

"I basically just looked at the whole situation and that's the perfect fit for me right now," Johnson said. "I feel like I will probably be at home there, but I will go down this weekend and get a good feeling for it."

Besides Cincinnati, Johnson had been offered by Akron, Bowling Green, Ohio and Toledo. He chose Cincinnati in part because of the level of competition they play and the football tradition at the school.

"It's all about the potential and the opportunity," Johnson said. "I'll be playing in the Big East against great competition, and you really can't beat that.

Johnson helped lead Kenston High to an 8-3 record this fall. Despite missing a handful of games early in the season due to a back injury, he garnered all-league and league offensive MVP honors for his play. He has also been selected to play in the NUC all-World Gridiron Classic High School All-Star game in Charleston, S.C. on Dec. 31.