Scarlet Knights pick up commitment from 2023 Florida RB Chris Johnson Jr.

Dillard (FL) 2023 running back Chris Johnson Jr. had long been high on the Scarlet Knights, but it wasn’t until a campus visit on Wednesday during which he felt the need to pull the trigger with a pledge.

The Fort Lauderdale product did just that in the evening hours, becoming the second commitment in the cycle for Greg Schiano and company.

“I had a good talk with Coach Schiano and I feel good about it,” he told The Knight Report. “I love the atmosphere out here. It’s a great feeling knowing I’m in good hands. Coach Schiano feels good about it, so I feel good about it. I know that this is my home, so why wait?”

The 5-foot-11, 182-pounder has grown closer to newly-appointed running backs coach Andy Aurich and the two spoke at length prior to his commitment on Wednesday.

“I had a long day of talking to him,” Johnson said. “We talked about football, personal things and everything else. He kept his word and honesty means everything to me. He’s big on loyalty and I have a good bond with him.”

Johnson has also hit it off with defensive assistant Damaso Munoz, who grew up in nearby Miami.

He was originally supposed to tour Piscataway in January before the state’s wave of winter weather wiped out the trip. He has enjoyed his first visit to the banks thus far, especially his conversation with one of the school’s NFL-bound graduates in Bo Melton.

“It’s a cool vibe and it's all love,” Johnson said of Rutgers. “Everything is great here. I met Bo today and had a good talk with him. He thinks Rutgers is a great place to be. We were on the same page with everything.”

Johnson had been hearing from Coastal Carolina, Louisville and Syracuse among other schools with a visit to Syracuse having been in line for April.