The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543210
MARCH 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 33 2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Wide receiver Travis Johnson moved into his apartment with fellow Virginia natives and Michigan early enrollees Markel Dabney and Savion Hiter in early January, and with that the high school recruiting process has come to an end for the Johnson family. It began in spring 2020, when his older brother, TJ Johnson, began being courted by and visiting high-level col- lege football programs, before eventu- ally ending up at West Virginia in 2023. He spent two seasons there, before being one of two dozen players cut following the first spring under head coach Rich Rodriguez. TJ transferred to Southern Miss to play tight end. Travis, meanwhile, has been on the rise since eighth grade, which began with 4 touchdowns in the opening half of the first game of the year, the beginning of his transition from elite basketball player to premier football recruit. He notched his first offer from Marshall following a scrimmage going into his freshman cam- paign at Oscar Smith High, and things didn't slow down from there. The Chesapeake, Va., native commit- ted to Michigan on July 4, 2025, following his official visit to Ann Arbor. "On this path in the journey with both of my sons, I told them, 'You guys might not be able to put it into words, but you'll feel when you're at home,'" Tiffany John- son said. "You feel that level of comfort. Travis felt loved. "I feel like I'm pretty good at reading energy and people's character. It was all genuine. I think he felt the energy, too, from those that he felt like really — as the kids say — rocked with him." Some of the staff is still there, Tiffany noted, but position coach Ron Bellamy, with whom the Johnsons have a great re- lationship, wasn't retained on new head man Kyle Whittingham's staff. "Walk by faith, not by sight," Tiffany reminded Travis in December, aer Sher- rone Moore was fired. "We didn't even meet [new head coach Kyle] Whittingham until we got there," Tiffany said. "It's been a lot, but Trav still knows he's home, and that helps me sleep at night." Aer the early enrollees arrived on campus, Whittingham held a meeting with the freshmen and their parents, with an open forum to hear any concerns. "Coach Whittingham did a dynamic job answering those questions," Tiffany revealed. Assistant wide receivers coach Marques Hagans, who recruited TJ while at Virginia and Travis while at Penn State, joined Whittingham's staff at Michigan, which made the entire family more comfortable. There won't be much that's "comfort- able" about the next several months of training, practicing and learning, but Johnson is up for the task, and he could play early on a very talented offense. "His mindset is 'Kill it.' He was wear- ing that on his black strip across his face through the state championship game, which we won, by the way, for Oscar Smith. That's his mindset," Tif- fany noted. "He's totally worked for this. I have, too, just making sure he's doing what he needs to do, but also making sure he re- members student comes before athlete, and making sure you're taking care of your business in that classroom and on that field." ❑ Travis Johnson Ready To 'Kill It' At Michigan TRAVIS JOHNSON WIDE RECEIVER 6-2 • 185 OSCAR SMITH CHESAPEAKE, VA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE Industry ✪✪✪✪ 125 18 4 ✪✪✪✪ 167 25 4 ✪✪✪✪ 141 21 4 ✪✪✪✪ 132 19 5 STATISTICS Year Rec. Yds. TD 2025 56 1,157 15 2024 63 1,053 17 HONORS • Rated a PrepStar Top 300 All-American. • First-team all-state honoree (2024 and '25). • VHSL Class 6 Offensive Player of the Year as a senior. • Named a first-team all-region player at wide receiver (2024, '25). • 2024 and '25 Virginian-Pilot All-Tidewater se- lection. RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan July 4, 2025. • Picked U-M over notable offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech, South Carolina and West Virginia. DID YOU KNOW? • Leader of a team that went 13-1 in 2025 and 17-0 in 2024, capturing two consecutive Virginia Class 6 state championships. • In his last two high school seasons, Johnson to- taled 119 receptions for 2,210 yards, averaging 18.6 yards per catch, and 32 TDs. • In Oscar Smith's 2025 state title win over North Stafford, he caught 3 passes for 68 yards, including 58 yards after the catch and 2 touchdowns. • Johnson also lettered in basketball; helped the squad reach the Class 6A state semifinals in 2024-25 and earned all-region second team honors as a junior. • Son of Tory and Tiffany Johnson. • Brother, TJ, plays tight end at Southern Miss. • Born Dec. 29, 2007. THEY SAID IT Oscar Smith assistant head coach Jahvoni Sim- mons: "Michigan is going to be another world, but he's on a mission. He wasn't afraid to go anywhere in the country. I'm very excited for Travis. He's very explosive. He can make any catch in the world. He's faster than everybody thinks he is. Once he gets that ball in his hands, he can create some YAC [yards after catch]. He can go inside or outside. He's able to go up and get it. All around, he's a great receiver and a great athlete." 2026 PROJECTION Johnson is a borderline Top 100 talent in our eyes who enrolled early and should see the field quickly in his collegiate career as a result. The Wolverines' receiver room is more crowded after bringing in a couple of pass catchers through the portal, but there's playing time to be earned on the outside. He has a chance to earn a role in the rotation this fall. In his last two high school seasons — both of which resulted in Virginia Class 6 state cham- pionships for Oscar Smith High — Johnson totaled 119 receptions for 2,210 yards, aver- aging 18.6 yards per catch, and 32 TDs. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND