Elite Safety Target Narrows List to Six Top Contenders

LSU, Oregon, Notre Dame among schools vying for top-ranked California prospect Honor Fa'alave-Johnson

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic five-star safety Honor Fa'alave-Johnson has narrowed his focus to six schools, with Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers firmly in the race for the top-ranked defensive back. Fa'alave-Johnson is a two-way star who excelled on both offense and defense as a junior, and he has scheduled a series of spring unofficial visits to evaluate his top contenders.

Why it matters

Fa'alave-Johnson is considered one of the top overall prospects in the 2027 recruiting class and a potential impact player for a College Football Playoff contender. His recruitment has drawn significant interest from several powerhouse programs, and his decision could have major implications for the future of their defenses.

The details

The 6-foot, 180-pound Fa'alave-Johnson has earned scholarship offers from the likes of LSU, USC, Oregon, UCLA, and Oklahoma, among others. He is coming off a junior season where he starred as a two-way player, rushing for 1,532 yards and 23 touchdowns while also recording 40 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble on defense. Fa'alave-Johnson has scheduled a series of spring unofficial visits to evaluate his top six contenders: Miami (March 5), Oregon (March 14), Texas (March 28), USC (April 4), LSU (April 18), and Notre Dame (April 24).

  • Fa'alave-Johnson had a standout junior season in 2025.
  • LSU extended an offer to Fa'alave-Johnson last month.
  • Fa'alave-Johnson has scheduled a series of spring unofficial visits to his top six contenders between March and April 2026.

The players

Honor Fa'alave-Johnson

A five-star safety prospect from San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic, ranked as the No. 1 safety in America and one of the top overall players in the 2027 recruiting class.

Lane Kiffin

The head coach of the LSU Tigers, who have extended an offer to Fa'alave-Johnson and are firmly in the race for the elite defensive back.

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What they’re saying

“Gamer that can take over games and in a variety of different ways. Stars as a do-it-all utility player on Friday nights and is the type of talent that could legitimately warrant snaps on both sides of the ball in college.”

— 247Sports (247Sports)

“Sniffs out concepts as a defender and arrives on scene with the intentions of making a play.-Flashes impressive range while patrolling over the top and has the hip swivel to man-up with assignments on the perimeter.”

— 247Sports (247Sports)

“Thrives as an outside zone runner on offense with his one-cut-and-go tendencies. Not only will bounce off tacklers with his core power, but hit home runs with his breakaway speed when he finds daylight. Ceiling appears to be highest at safety given the IQ and physicality, but has the skills to also be an effective three-down running back with his hands.”

— 247Sports (247Sports)

What’s next

Fa'alave-Johnson will take a series of unofficial visits to his top six contenders between March and April 2026 as he continues to evaluate his options and work towards a decision.

The takeaway

Fa'alave-Johnson's recruitment has drawn significant interest from several elite programs, highlighting his status as one of the top overall prospects in the 2027 class. His decision could have major implications for the future of the defenses at his finalists, as he has the potential to be an immediate impact player at the college level.