Julian Johnson, a 6-4, 210-pound tight end from Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, Ill., announced Tuesday night on Twitter that he has committed to the Gophers football program for the 2024 recruiting class.
Gophers receive commitment from Illinois prep tight end Julian Johnson
The high school senior-to-be received interest recently from Purdue, Iowa and Texas A&M, among others, but chose coach P.J. Fleck's program.
May 10, 2023 at 5:34AM
![Minnesota Gophers players wait with head coach P.J. Fleck to run out of the tunnel before their game against the Purdue Boilermakers Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. ]](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/SKT5HXMIHP7JEOVB6RKQEMM7BU.jpg?&w=712)
Johnson is the 27th-ranked athlete in Illinois and the 110th-ranked athlete nationally by recruiting-focused website 247Sports.com but projects as a tight end for the Gophers. He has 18 other FBS scholarship offers, including from Purdue, Missouri, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Boston College and Iowa since April 14. Johnson made an unofficial visit to the Gophers on April 8 and received an offer from Minnesota that day.
Johnson, a three-star recruit as judged by 247Sports, becomes the 12th player and first tight end in the Gophers' 2024 recruiting class. Coach's P.J. Fleck's class is ranked 16th nationally and fifth among Big Ten teams in the 247Sports composite ratings of major recruiting services, a rankings system that updates as teams receive commitments.
Gophers coach Keegan Cook and standout Julia Hanson understand the team must be consistent now if it wants to become an NCAA tournament host for the first time since 2022.
