Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss pulled off a significant late recruiting victory on Wednesday, flipping four-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham, a former Alabama commit, just days after he attended the Rebels’ Week 11 victory over Georgia.
Cunningham, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound standout from Ackerman, Mississippi, is ranked No. 21 overall in ESPN’s 2025 class and is the No. 2 wide receiver in the cycle. Previously a key piece of Alabama’s top-ranked recruiting class under Kalen DeBoer since committing in July, his decision to join Ole Miss delivers a late setback for the Crimson Tide.
Now the highest-rated recruit in Ole Miss’s 2025 class, Cunningham joins a group featuring five ESPN 300 commits, including four from Mississippi: cornerback Cortez Thomas (No. 125), outside linebacker Jarcoby Hopson (No. 190), and defensive tackle Andrew Maddox (No. 257). The lone out-of-state ESPN 300 pledge is four-star safety Ladarian Clardy from Pensacola, Florida. Overall, the Rebels’ 2025 class, with 19 commitments, ranks No. 29 in ESPN’s latest rankings.
Before flipping to Ole Miss, Cunningham was the third-highest-rated player in Alabama’s 2025 class. A multi-sport athlete at Choctaw County High School, he excelled during his junior season with 48 receptions for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns, setting multiple school records. Initially committed to Alabama on July 13 over Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida, Auburn, and Tennessee, Cunningham stayed firm with the Tide for much of his senior year. However, Ole Miss maintained its pursuit, hosting him multiple times during the fall, including Saturday’s game against Georgia, where he watched alongside Auburn quarterback commit Deuce Knight.
Cunningham’s addition bolsters an Ole Miss team riding momentum from its No. 11 ranking in the latest College Football Playoff standings. The Rebels (8-2) are on a bye in Week 12 before visiting Florida on Nov. 23.
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