Vanderbilt running back Johann Cardenas announced on Tuesday that he has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Cardenas, who redshirted during his true freshman year in 2024, dealt with a high-ankle sprain during spring practice after getting injured in a scrimmage. He had been expected to compete for playing time in 2025.
In a post on Instagram, Cardenas expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am extremely thankful to Vanderbilt University and Coach Clark Lea for giving me the opportunity to play Division I football at a high level. After a lot of thought, prayer, and discussions with my family, I’ve decided that entering the NCAA transfer portal is the best decision for me. I appreciate all the support from Vanderbilt and everyone who has been there for me over the past year.”
According to 247Sports‘ Chris Hummer, Cardenas has now committed to the University of Minnesota. The move is largely influenced by Minnesota’s new running back coach, Jayden Everett, who originally recruited Cardenas to Vanderbilt in 2023/2024.
Johann Cardenas, a 3-star recruit from Houston’s St. Thomas High School in the 2024 class, had a strong list of suitors, including Missouri, BYU, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Oregon, SMU, and Texas Tech, before choosing Vanderbilt. The 6-foot, 223-pound running back had to overcome a torn ACL late in high school, which sidelined him for game action in 2024.
He didn’t fully regain his peak form until spring practice, where he was showing progress. However, just as he seemed to be turning a corner, Cardenas suffered a hamstring injury during practice and later a high-ankle sprain in a scrimmage. Despite these setbacks, he was poised to compete in a three-way battle for backup spots behind starter Sedrick Alexander, alongside Makhilyn Young and AJ Newberry.
Now, after redshirt freshman Jaydon Wright entered the portal yesterday, Minnesota has added Cardenas to fill the void.
This report was significantly contributed to by 247’s Robbie Weinstein.
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