Official visit season is heating up. For Alabama football, a busy summer kicks off this weekend with a slew of blue-chip prospects descending upon Tuscaloosa to visit.
One of those blue-chip prospects is 4-star LB Cincere Johnson, the No. 2 overall player in the state of Ohio in the 2026 class. Alabama is locked in a fierce recruiting battle with Ohio State and Penn State for his signature.
Kalen DeBoer and company have done a terrific job in Johnson's recruitment, but pulling him out of Big Ten country won't be easy. The Buckeyes have long been considered the favorite, as they usually are for prospects in their own backyard, and the Nittany Lions have made up a ton of ground over the last few months.
Johnson recently took his official visit to Penn State. He is scheduled to be in Tuscaloosa starting on May 30th for a pivotal official visit. Ahead of his arrival in Tuscaloosa, Johnson announced a decision date. He will announce his commitment on June 19th.
Alabama has a big opportunity with Cincere Johnson this weekend
This will be Johnson's third visit to Tuscaloosa in the last three months. He attended the Crimson Tide's Junior Day in February and then returned for another unofficial visit in April. Alabama has been seen as the biggest threat to Ohio State in his recruitment, and they have a massive opportunity this weekend.
Johnson still has plans for an official visit to the Buckeyes six days before he makes his announcement. He's been to Columbus more than anywhere else. On3 has him having visited Ohio State on nine separate occasions. He's obviously comfortable staying at home.
But DeBoer, DC Kane Wommack, and LB coach Chuck Morrell have given Johnson a lot to think about. It doesn't take much to sell the Alabama brand. Wommack's system is proven in this league, too. The Tide finished ranked No. 10 in the country in yards per play defense a year ago. It didn't hurt to have LB Jihaad Campbell get picked with the 31st overall pick in April's NFL Draft, either.
Alabama is still Alabama at the end of the day, even without Nick Saban pacing the sideline.
It should be a big summer in Tuscaloosa as Alabama fills out its recruiting class. It went on a big run last summer on the way to a Top 5 class. A similar run is expected this summer as the Crimson Tide has built a ton of momentum on the trail.
Making the winning pitch for Johnson would be a tremendous start in Alabama's push for another top class.