2026 Prosper (TX) High School defensive lineman Jake Johnson was in Dallas over the weekend for SMU Junior Day. The Hilltopics caught up with him to recap his visit.

What you need to know...

...SMU offered him on January 7.

...Johnson is rated as a 5.7, three-star recruit and is the #25 ranked defensive tackle.

...He also has offers from Washington State, North Texas, UCF, Tulsa, Wisconsin, Baylor, TCU, Toledo, Texas Tech, South Florida, Pittsburgh, UTSA, and Houston.

...This season, he finished with 70 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles for the Eagles.

...Johnson was named the District 6-6A Defensive line MVP and the Eagles overall team MVP.

What were some of the highlights of the Junior Day visit for you?

"Some of the highlights for me on the day were that it was a very small group of about 7-9 players and their parents, so there was a lot of one-on-one time with players and coaches, which was a great thing to have."

Which coaches did you connect with, and what was their overall message to you?

"I met and talked to a lot of the staff, but I mainly talked to (defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux) Coach Tibbs, (defensive coordinator Scott Symons) Coach Symons, and head coach Rhett Lashlee. What I gained from talking to each of them is that I am a high-value recruit for them and that they have the ability to take my playing level and raise it through the roof. Coach Tibbs also talked about how he could train and mentor me into becoming an NFL-level player under his guidance."

What are your thoughts on the SMU football program, and what is your interest level in playing at SMU?

"I really like what they do with their program because they want to center it around family and build a family with the team, as well as build their team with elite Texas players and not have to rely on the transfer portal. They want to begin to develop multiple classes of recruits to be the ones to step up next. My interest in SMU is high."

Who are some of the schools that are recruiting you the most right now?

"Some other schools that are recruiting me the most right now, other than SMU, are TCU, Wisconsin, Baylor, Kansas, and Northwestern."

Do you have any other visits coming up this off-season?

"Visits to TCU, Wisconsin, and Northwestern are on my schedule right now."