2026 DB Terron Johnson Talks UMass Commitment

Star New York CB Terron Johnson chose the Minutemen after an official visit

Terron Johnson isn’t just a great football player.

He’s a fantastic overall athlete.

Along with quarterbacks targeting him just three times last campaign, he also ran a 10.8 second 100-meter dash. The two-time All-American’s speed and athleticism on the track were some of the many reasons UMass went all out for a kid from New Rochelle, N.Y.

Johnson received offers from Rhode Island, Monmouth and a couple other schools, but ultimately decided on a future in Amherst hours after his official visit weekend.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder, received an offer from the Minutemen back on May 21. Less than 30 days later, Johnson took his official visit to the school.

“I really liked the campus and obviously the coaches too,” Johnson said. “What really set it off was the relationships the coaches had with each other and the players. I just wanted to be a part of something that was really special like that.”

When Johnson first arrived at UMass, he noticed how focused the coaches were on building a connection with not just him, but his family as well. According to Johnson, a lot of the interest he had laid with the regime change and new head coach Joe Harasymiak.

“They have a whole new coaching staff, and I’m excited to see how they change the place,” he said. “Coach H had a whole conversation with me and my family. We were just talking about personal life and stuff outside of football. It was great.”

He also spoke about his appreciation for defensive coordinator Jared Keyte.

“It was a great conversation to have,” Johnson said of his chat with Keyte. “It was great to be around people like that. He told me he was excited for me to come and couldn’t wait to build a further relationship.”

Harasymiak and Keyte played massive roles in the recruiting process, but the main contributor was defensive backs coach Donald Celiscar.

“I like that he is a very honest man,” Johnson said of Celiscar. “He’s not going to beat around the bush and he’s going to tell you how it is.

“I got some information from players that were there and they talked about the fact that he is real genuine about the way he goes about things. We talked about different football stuff, but also non-football stuff.”

This isn’t Celiscar’s first rodeo with success in recruitment. He has lured in David Chiavegato, Corey Warner and Kareem Pruitt, along with transfer-portal acquisitions. One of the players Celiscar has helped develop heavily since arriving as a coach is Kamren Watkins-Hunter, who is also a player Johnson ultimately found a major connection with.

“I found connections with some of the other kids that committed during the weekend,” Johnson said. “I also built a connection with some of the players on the team, mainly my host Kam.”

Johnson experienced an atypical high school path. He attended Iona Prep for four years, and now has reclassified for his final year of high school at St. Thomas More School in Connecticut.

At Iona Prep, he led his team to two state championships while playing a significant role on both sides of the ball. The main reason for success wasn’t always his athleticism, but the preparation prior.

“My skillset is that I’m two steps ahead of the game already,” Johnson said. “I love to study film and I would say that during the game, my IQ and speed is key. My preparation is on a different level so when I get to the game, I already know what’s going to happen.”

Along with intelligence, his sprinting speed from track and field success bolsters his game when he has to improvise.

“There aren’t many people that can run faster than me,” he said. “With my technique, you can put me on an island. I feel like I’ll be fine.”

However, under all that athleticism and spirit for the game of football, there is a focused professional ready to help his team.

“I want people to know that I am about business. I’m not really a talkative guy that brags about things and wants the spotlight. I just want to help the team win at all costs.”

Your one-stop-shop for all your sports marketing needs… Owned and Operated by UMASS Grads.

We specialize in providing top-quality marketing & printing services for coaches, athletic directors, and sports marketing professionals.

Get Fan Ready!