Ole Miss in the Mix After Top Prospect Decommits from Alabama

Nash Johnson’s recruitment hit a reset button last week, and it was a move most people around him saw coming.

The four-star cornerback reportedly backed off his commitment to Alabama and reopened his recruitment, setting up a wide-open race heading into official visit season.

Now the question becomes what his new top group looks like. Miami and Auburn have positioned themselves early, with Tennessee still hanging around, but Ole Miss is also expected to be a real factor as things move forward.

Miami has surged the fastest. One visit to Coral Gables was enough to push the Hurricanes into the lead group, and they’ve carried that momentum into the spring.

Auburn has been steady for months and remains one of the most consistent programs recruiting him. Tennessee made a strong impression earlier this spring and is still in the picture even if it sits slightly behind the early frontrunners.

Ole Miss enters this next phase with a chance to climb.

The Rebels will get Johnson on campus for an official visit in June, and that weekend will give the staff a real opportunity to make up ground. With the way his recruitment has reset, timing matters, and Ole Miss is positioned to get its shot at the right moment.

The schedule is already set. Johnson will open his official visits at Auburn on May 29, then head to Miami on June 5. Tennessee and Ole Miss will host him the following two weekends as he works toward a summer decision. Those four trips will likely determine the final order.

Johnson’s decommitment also changes the tone of his recruitment.

Instead of a player locked into a long-term pledge, he’s now a high-priority defensive back with multiple programs pushing hard to reshape their boards.

Ole Miss has been active in the cornerback market for the 2025 and 2026 cycles, and adding Johnson to the mix gives the Rebels another chance to land a top-tier athlete with SEC-ready traits.

There’s still plenty of time for movement, and Johnson plans to take all of his official visits before making a decision.

But with Alabama now out of the picture, the race has tightened, and Ole Miss is one of the programs with a real opportunity to make a move.

He’ll be one to watch closely over the next two months as the visits stack up and the board reshuffles again.