Ole Miss added another key piece to its 2027 class on Thursday, and it’s one the staff has been working on for months.
Three-star tight end Colton Johnson committed to the Rebels, choosing Oxford over Alabama, Florida State, North Carolina and Purdue after a recruitment that stretched past 60 offers.
After long talks and prayers with my family I am blessed to be able to make this decision. I’m excited to announce I’ll be committing to @OleMissFB !!!🦈🦈🦈🔴🔵 @CoachWoodiel @CoachGolding @ChadSimmons_ @TomLoy247 @kam_wicker @Hayesfawcett3 @BaxterFootball #agtg pic.twitter.com/7TzcI3FYLA
— Colton “CJ” Johnson 3⭐️ (@coltonFB_23) July 9, 2026
Johnson, a 6‑foot‑4, 215‑pound prospect from Upperman High School in Tennessee, said Ole Miss made him a priority from the moment it entered the picture in January. That early push mattered.
“They’ve been very consistent,” Johnson told Rivals Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons. “They were very hard on me as soon as they started recruiting me, and it’s kind of been that way throughout.”
Johnson visited Ole Miss twice, first for a spring practice and later for his official visit. Both trips helped him see what the Rebels are building under Pete Golding.
“The visits were awesome,” he said. “I learned a lot about the coaches, the atmosphere, and the people, which helped me decide on Ole Miss.”
By the time he wrapped up six official visits, he already knew where things were headed.
“Probably for a few weeks now, I have known it was Ole Miss,” Johnson said. “Once I finished up on my official visit, I’ve been thinking about it, and they’ve kind of been my frontrunner. The other schools were great, but I just kept thinking about Ole Miss.”
Why Ole Miss won out
Johnson pointed to the people first. That’s been a theme throughout Golding’s first full recruiting cycle, and it showed again here.
“The people, for sure,” Johnson said. “It feels so much like home. Then the development they’ve had at tight end and the winning they have had were factors too. I think they’re going to be very successful, and that’s a big part of my recruitment.”
Golding’s role wasn’t small, either. Johnson said the head coach made it clear how he fits into the offense and what the long‑term vision looks like.
“Every talk we’ve had, he’s always told me exactly how I fit in and why he thinks I’m a great recruit for their program,” Johnson said. “He shared his vision for the program, and he let me know he wants to be in Oxford. His wife is from there, and he wants to build something there. I think it’s a great place to be, and the coaching staff is really together.”
Alabama and Florida State were the biggest threats down the stretch, but Johnson said the feeling in Oxford stood out.
“The feeling at Ole Miss was different for me,” he said.
Ole Miss Football 2027 Signing Class
- EDGE Juelz Batiste, Edna Karr (La.)
- OL Antonio Berry, Tupelo (Miss.)
- Edge Elijah Cox, Westlake (Ga.)
- QB Keegan Croucher, Baylor School (Tenn.)
- LB Jeremiah Culpepper, Troup County (Ga.)
- LB Jiyez Fleming, Oxford (Ala.)
- WR Tra’Von Hall, Central Tuscaloosa (Ala.)
- Edge Antwan Jackson, Memphis (Tenn.)
- QB Crews Jenkins, Brentoowd Academy (Tenn.)
- OL Antonio Keefer, Southwind (Tenn.)
- S Darrell Mattison, Chicago Morgan Park (Ill.)
- CB Taelyn Mayo, Lewisville (Texas)
- S Mason Moore, Baton Rogue (La.)
- WR Alvin Mosley, Almeta Crawford (Texas)
- DL Marvin Nguetsop, St. Thomas More (Conn.)
- LB David Parson, Douglasville (Ga.)
- DL Jamarkus Pittman, Memphis Academy (Tenn.)
- OL Ben’Jarvius Shumaker, Choctaw County (Miss.)
- EDGE Keysan Taylor, Rockford Guilford (Ill.)
- DL Mitchell Turner, Louisville (Miss.)
- OL Ford Wade, Oxford (Miss.)
- WR Miguel Whitley, St. Augustine (La.)
