https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/cedric-melton-218533Cedric Melton has never been to prom.

Thanks to the novel coronavirus that shut down most of society, including Klein Cain High School in Houston, that won’t change.

Melton very likely won’t walk with his graduating class, either. That rite of passage will likely occur virtually, even though Houston and the state of Texas is slowly reopening more than two months into the pandemic.

Melton, however, hasn’t let that get him down. Instead, he’s kept his focus on what’s in front of him — his college football career.

Melton, an offensive tackle who signed with Ole Miss in February, said he hasn’t been given a date to report to Oxford but he’s been in regular contact with the Rebels’ coaching staff.

“We talk every week,” Melton said, “I don’t know the date we’re coming back but I know it will probably be soon.”

Melton has been doing his best to stay prepared for that date. He said he essentially built a gym in his garage and got enough weights to bench press and power clean. He doesn’t have a squat rack, so he’s limited his lower body work to lunges, squats with the weight bar and resistance band exercises. Ole Miss sends him updated workouts each week.

“It was real hard to find weights,” Melton said. “But I found weights and I’m doing what I can, basically. I’m in good shape but I’m not how I was in football season.”

Melton has also been running. He said he does four 100-yard sprints per day and cone drills in an attempt to stay in cardiovascular shape.

Mentally, Melton is OK, even though he acknowledged life certainly has changed.

“I’ve never been to a prom,” Melton said. “I heard it’s great but I’m just trying to get to college. I’m just worrying about the stuff I can control. It’s real different from how we used to hang out all the time. It is what it is at the end of the day. I can’t complain.”

After his daily workouts, Melton said with a laugh, he takes a shower, plays video games and gets on his phone. He said he hears from Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and offensive line coach Randy Clements routinely. He said he’s talked with veteran players Miles Battle and Eli Johnson and participates in a weekly Zoom call with the rest of the 2020 class.

“You can’t say too much on there,” Melton said.

In short, he’s doing his best to stay ready and looking forward to the next chapter is his life, even as this one is ending in an unconventional manner.

“It’s a lot — processing that I’m in college now, but it’s cool,” Melton said. “I’m ready.”