After visit, four-star WR has a favorite

As one of the top prospects in the state of Mississippi, Hattiesburg (Miss.) Oak Grove wide receiver Robert Johnson has plenty of options when it comes to college scholarships. He has already picked up offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Louisville and a host of others. However after a recent trip, one school that has not yet offered may have emerged as his leader.

This week, Johnson drove to Tallahassee, Fla. to take in the campus at Florida State. Though he left without and offer in hand, the trip was a success in just about every other facet.

"That's my favorite school that I've visited," Johnson said. "I love the atmosphere. Everything is Florida State everywhere. I hear it gets live in the stadium and I checked out the stadium and it is huge. I think they said it holds 83,000. Just looking around the campus, everyone knows each other."

Already, Johnson is friends with Florida State wide receiver Taiwan Easterling who also hails from Oak Grove High School. During the visit, Johnson also got a chance to become much more familiar with the coaching staff.

"When I first got there I was looking to find Coach Trickett and then he hooked us up with the wide receiver coach and he and my dad talked for a good minute," he said. "Then we went to the athletic part of the school. We went to the stadium, the weight room where all the trophies were and we went to Bobby Bowden's office."

The four-star wide receiver had been told that the Florida State staff wanted to see him in person before giving him an official offer. Johnson hoped that this visit would help move that offer along.

"When I first called, they said for them to offer they wanted to at least meet me and see how I look," he said. "Going up there and meeting would probably give me a better chance of one since I drove all the way down there."

Not only was Johnson impressed but his father walked away happy as well. In fact, Johnson's family would be willing to follow him to the area.

"My dad was talking about it," he said. "He really liked it out there saying if I were to go, they'd probably move down there because they like it. He has friends down there. He has a fraternity brother in Pensacola."

Among Johnson's offers, he has no schools that are standing out at this point. In the coming week however, Johnson may not only find himself with more options but also with a clearer picture of some of the schools that are recruiting him. Starting on Sunday, the physical athlete has a busy week.

"Our coach is taking us out to Baton Rouge for the LSU camp on the 19th to the 23rd and then Mississippi State on the 24th and I'm going to try my best to go to Ole Miss on the 25th."

While he has an offer from both Ole Miss and Mississippi State, Johnson hopes that the LSU camp becomes a try-out for an added offer.

"Oh yeah I like LSU," he said. "My dad likes them too and it's LSU. You can't not like them. They're in the BCS picture every year."

At Oak Grove, Johnson is part of a talented team that will be a favorite to make a deep 2009 playoff run. As a junior, Johnson caught 48 passes for 632 yards and rushed for 276 yards on 31 carries.