Super Bowl champ dips into home state to land Boise State’s second recruit in 2022 class
New Boise State cornerbacks coach Jeron Johnson has landed his first recruit since returning to his alma mater.
Dionte Thornton — a three-star defensive back from Lawndale, California — announced his verbal commitment Tuesday afternoon on Twitter.
Thornton played safety at Lawndale High, but Boise State is recruiting him as a cornerback.
Johnson, who was hired in January as part of coach Andy Avalos’ first staff, won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. He was a safety at Boise State from 2007 to 2010 and still ranks No. 10 in program history with 328 career tackles.
He is also from Compton, California, which is less than a 30-minute drive from Lawndale.
Avalos said Johnson’s background in the NFL and ties to talent-rich states, such as California and Washington, would serve him well on the recruiting trail, and Thornton may be the first of many defensive backs he brings into the fold in the coming years.
Thornton (6-3, 185) made an unofficial visit to Boise State over the weekend, and he announced on Sunday that the Broncos offered him a scholarship.
If he stays at cornerback, he’ll join a position group that is flush with young talent. The Broncos will have two new starters at the position this fall — likely junior Markel Reed and Bowling Green transfer Caleb Biggers — and they’ve signed a combined eight defensive backs in their past two recruiting classes.
Boise State 2022 recruiting class
QB Katin Houser, 6-3, 200, St. John Bosco High (Bellflower, California)
CB Dionte Thornton, 6-3, 185, Lawndale (California) High
This story was originally published June 8, 2021 at 3:13 PM.
