4-star Alabama commit ‘Duke’ Johnson checks out FSU practice, plans official visit

Elite talent continues to flow into Tallahassee to check out Florida State practices this spring, and one of the special visitors on Thursday was four-star athlete and Alabama commit Darrell “Duke” Johnson.

According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Johnson is the 35th-best player in the 2025 recruiting class and the second-best athlete in the country.

Even though Johnson is now committed to Alabama, the message from Florida State head coach Mike Norvell has not changed one bit.

“He was telling me that he wants me here. He wants to be a ‘Nole,” Johnson said. “He wants to coach me.”

And while the 6-foot-1, 200-pound recruit is committed to the Crimson Tide, he has clearly not shut things down completely. In fact, Johnson plans to take an official visit to Florida State for the June 14 weekend.

According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, Florida State sits second in Johnson’s recruitment with a 13.8 percent chance of landing him on signing day. Alabama leads with an 83.9 percent chance.

This was the first time Johnson got to see a Seminole practice in person, and the coaching styles of Norvell and defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain was something that stood out to the top-50 recruit.

“I like how Coach Surtain gets after it,” the talented athlete said. “And Coach Norvell, how offense and defense, he’s yelling at everybody, coaching everybody good. It’s just good coaching.”

Florida State is recruiting Johnson as a safety, and he said the Seminoles’ secondary showed out for him in practice.

“I saw like three interceptions,” he said. “I love how everybody got after it today. And they were just like moving around — physical, PBUs.”

That June 14 official visit will likely be the next time Johnson visits Florida State.

When asked where the Seminoles stand in his recruitment, the Georgia product said he likes the program but is still locked in with the Crimson Tide.

“I’m committed to ‘Bama of course,” the Dodge County, Ga., standout said. “But Florida State’s still gonna be there I guess. But I mean I’m committed to ‘Bama.”

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