Actually, Ole Miss isn’t “out in front” for Vanderbilt transfer Cam Johnson. He hasn’t heard from the Rebels in a while.

Cam Johnson could have been a mid-year transfer and enrolled at his next school in time for spring football practices. 

However, Johnson, the Vanderbilt wide receiver, who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in the fall, made a pledge to himself in high school he would finish his degree. It was important to him and his mom.

Admittedly, he could have wrapped up his course requirements anywhere. But Vanderbilt reads different on a professional resume, and Johnson had already put three and a half years into his education. 

He was so close and only needed to complete an internship to graduate. So, he made the call, even if the decision ultimately cost him some recruiting opportunities.

Ole Miss, for example, was in regular communication with him. However, following the addition of Louisville’s Jordan Watkins, and considering Johnson’s status as a May graduate, the Rebels ultimately backed off.

“Ole Miss, it’s been a little bit,” since we communicated, Johnson told the Ole Miss Spirit. He joined its Talk of Champions podcast, and the full interview can be found HERE. A report last week indicated the Rebels were out in front for him.

“We’ll see what happens there and if they end up reaching back out.”

Not that Johnson has eliminated Ole Miss.

The Rebels were 10-3 last season, including their 10th all-time appearance in the Sugar Bowl. He just hasn’t heard much lately from head coach Lane Kiffin and staff.

“Initially, it was just sort of getting to know each other,” Johnson said. “I got to meet with (Ole Miss wide receivers) coach (Derrick) Nix, and he was basically giving me the rundown of the guys that have left and what they were looking for. They were telling me it’s not a big deal to us that you’re a guy that’s not going to be here in the spring.

“We kept the conversation going for a long time. I know they got a transfer receiver (Watkins) right before spring ball started. We talked for a couple more weeks, and then it kind of went quiet for a while. With spring ball ending now and them sort of looking for a new receiver, we’ll see if anything changes with that.”

Johnson said Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Miami (Ohio) and App State are currently recruiting him the hardest.

He’s heard from each of them this week. South Alabama has reached out, too, and he could attract more suitors in a couple of days. The deadline for players to get into the portal is May 1. 

For now, though, Johnson is focused on those handful of schools.

“There were times I would have schools call and they would ask was I going to be a spring enrollee and I would say no and they would go ghost,” he said. “I understood. They wanted that spring guy. There were some top-tier programs that did that. 

“It definitely took a toll on me and made me reconsider. But I think, ultimately, I made the right decision. I’m going to be able to find a home I’m going to be happy with.”

Johnson has already visited App State, and he’ll check out Arizona State this weekend. 

He’s also hoping to go see Oklahoma State “in the next couple of weeks” and possibly Miami (Ohio) as well. Johnson was penciled in for an Ole Miss visit January 21 before the sides mutually agreed to hold off.

“As of right now, I do not have plans to visit Ole Miss,” Johnson said. “I was going to visit that January 21 weekend, but we changed it just to sort of have it where there were more students on campus and things like that. We didn’t end up actually rescheduling it.”

The 6-foot, 200-pound Johnson would certainly be all ears if the Rebels did reach back out. Johnson, working primarily from the slot, had 34 catches for 327 yards and four touchdowns last season. He totaled 56 catches for 545 yards and three touchdowns as a junior.

“What is there not to like (about Ole Miss)?” he said. “They were one of the Top 10 teams in the country last year. Just so many good receivers have come out of there. It’s such a great place for receivers to be if they want to take that next step, and then you’ve got coach Kiffin there. He’s sent a lot of guys to the (NFL) and is an offensive guru.

“There’s so much to like about Ole Miss.”

Johnson would prefer to make a decision in the next “two to three weeks.”

He’s kind of set a deadline for the middle of May, seeing as he graduates on the 13th. Johnson, who has two years of eligibility remaining, could see himself committing around then and enrolling somewhere for a May intersession, which he’s all for after missing spring football.

He wants to get to working with his new teammates.

“First and foremost, I want to get back to winning,” Johnson said.

The former On3 Consensus four-star prospect is originally from Nashville. He’s been working daily with the personal trainer he’s had since his sophomore year of high school. 

“My ultimate goal has always been to go to the NFL,” he added. “Of course I want to go where I feel like I’m needed and also I’m able to go in and produce the way that I feel like I need to produce and I feel like I can produce in order to take that next step and get to the league.”