Paris Johnson, an elite offensive tackle prospect from Cincinnati’s Princeton High School, is now officially a Buckeye.
Johnson sent in his signed Letter of Intent to join Ohio State’s 2020 recruiting class.
He’s currently ranked as the No. 7 overall player in the nation and the top offensive tackle in the nation.
Johnson committed to the Buckeyes all the way back in June 2018, but seemingly wavered after Urban Meyer announced his retirement. He made a rather high-profile trip across the south, posting photos from schools like Tennessee and Georgia as he considered his options.
However, Johnson never decommitted and ended up sticking with Ohio State.
Here’s a look at what Paris Johnson brings to the Buckeyes.
Ranking: He is a 5-star prospect, considered the No. 1 offensive tackle, the best player in the state of Ohio this year, and the No. 7 overall player in the class. He’s the fifth-highest rated signee ever for the Buckeyes according to the 247 database.
Other Offers: He picked the Buckeyes over offers from basically every significant school in the nation. Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Clemson, Oklahoma, Texas, USC, Michigan, Penn State, and Notre Dame all offered Johnson a scholarship.
Positional Projection: At 6-foot-7, 290 lbs, Johnson is a prototypical tackle.
Commitment: He committed to the Buckeyes more than a year ago, in June 2018.
Enrolling: Johnson will enroll at Ohio State in January and then go through 2020 spring practice.
Projected Impact: Two years after missing on 5-star in-state tackle Jackson Carman, Johnson was an absolute must-get for the Buckeyes this season. They got him.
You don’t ever want to project a true freshman offensive lineman to get immediate playing time, but Johnson will at least be in the mix for the two-deep from day one.
Starting RT Branden Bowen and top backup Joshua Alabi are out of eligibility, and a starting LT Thayer Munford could theoretically leave for the NFL as well.
Nick Petit-Frere, another 5-star tackle signee, will be entering his redshirt sophomore season and should be the favorite to lock down one of the starting jobs.
Johnson has a chance for meaningful playing time in 2021, and will be at the front of the line for the starting spot whenever Munford leaves.
You can watch Johnson’s senior season highlight reel below.
Maybe there’s a needed caveat here: “You don’t ever want to project a true freshman offensive lineman to get immediate playing time,” should be, “You don’t ever want to project a true freshman offensive lineman to get immediate playing time, unless his name is Orlando Pace.”