One of Louisiana’s top rising senior prospects has changed his college plans and is now set to head out of state for a Power-Four opportunity at the next level.
Madison Prep star Landon “Manu” Johnson announced Friday a flip to TCU from a prior commitment this spring to home-state Louisiana Tech.
“TCU’s coaching staff is real specific with who they bring in,” he told Louisiana vs. All Y’all. “So I feel it’s a good opportunity that presented itself that I could thrive in with my playmaking abilities at the free safety and nickel positions with a great coach in (defensive passing game coordinator) coach Tre (Watson). The scheme I feel will fit well with my play style, and it just felt like home. My first time ever stepping on campus, I felt comfortable.”
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound athlete had been the Bulldogs’ first commitment for the 2027 class, but now instead looks poised to rekindle a longstanding Louisiana pipeline to Fort Worth, Texas, that most recently included three trench signees in 2025.
TCU has been among the most consistent out-of-state programs in recruiting Louisiana during the past decade-plus, including signings of Neville defensive lineman Brody Whatley, Pine offensive lineman Jackson Jones and Benton offensive lineman Witten Van Hoy in the 2025 cycle.
And, following Johnson’s pledge to the Bulldogs on March 22, the Horned Frogs extended an offer a month later on April 23 and have continued to ramp up their recruiting efforts and now land his pledge ahead of a scheduled official visit next week.
He said his biggest question he needed answered to feel confident in changing course was a clear vision to earn and maintain playing time — circumstances that can be hit-or-miss in modern, transfer-heavy recruiting classes.
“Really in this day and age with the portal and things, you don’t want to go in a situation flooded at your position,” he said. “They never showed me that they go in the portal and take 30 guys or anything like that. They really harp on they’re retention rate and how many they bring in at a position. So knowing that and how they bring in quality over quantity is something that grabbed my attention.”
Johnson has been a versatile, three-phase standout throughout his high school career with the Chargers, but has primarily projected to play defensive back in college.
He is the No. 23 overall prospect and No. 5 defensive back in Louisiana vs. All Y’all’s most recent 2027 class rankings, which were updated in September.
Johnson intercepted three passes this fall as a junior, including two pick-sixes, and also tallied nine pass breakups, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
Additionally, he racked up more than 3,000 all-purpose yards, including 33 touchdowns on offense and another four scores on punt returns.
His performance earned All-District 6-3A Offensive MVP honors and selections to the LSWA Class 3A all-state team as a return specialist and All-Louisiana vs. All Y’all small schools team as a defensive athlete.
“They all want dogs, and that’s what I am, so recruit Manu, I guess,” Johnson laughed with Louisiana vs. All Y’all earlier this spring about his message to coaches recruiting the state. “They’ll get an athlete, a slept-on athlete who’s gonna ball out whenever and wherever.”
