Former top 100 recruit bashes Kalen DeBoer after transferring to Ole Miss from Alabama
No one said there will never be scorned hearts and hurt feelings in college football after the transfer portal became the wild west. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer caught an unexpected stray this week as one of the program's elite recent recruits explained why he opted to join Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels instead of […]
No one said there will never be scorned hearts and hurt feelings in college football after the transfer portal became the wild west. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer caught an unexpected stray this week as one of the program's elite recent recruits explained why he opted to join Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels instead of sticking in Tuscaloosa.
Caleb Odom came to Alabama with big expectations, and he's creating buzz in practices with Ole Miss now. It wouldn't be surprising if he finds a role early in his career in Kiffin's creative offense.
Once a highly sought-after tight end prospect, Odom was ranked among the Top 100 recruits in the 2024 class for Alabama. As a four-star recruit, he initially made a name for himself as a tight end but decided to transition to wide receiver during spring practice in Tuscaloosa.
After a season at Alabama where he recorded seven receptions for 65 yards over 12 games—mostly serving as a blocker—Odom is entering a new chapter at Ole Miss. He now has a tremendous opportunity to secure significant playing time with the Rebels, especially as the team rebuilds after losing several key players to the 2025 NFL Draft.
Why did he make the move from Alabama to Ole Miss? The answer is rooted in comfort, trust, and opportunity.
“Ultimately, I just wanted to be somewhere where I felt wanted and needed, and where I felt comfortable,” Odom shared. With Ole Miss being his second choice out of high school, reconnecting with Coach George McDonald and getting back under Lane Kiffin’s guidance seemed like the perfect fit for the young player searching for a more pivotal role.
Here's the scouting report 247Sports had for Odom coming out of high school.
"A move tight end prospect that could blossom into a true difference maker on Saturdays given athleticism, natural ball skills and play speed. Saw a high volume of targets as a junior while being deployed primarily as an outside wide receiver.
"Very fluid as a route runner and has excellent spatial awareness, which likely stems from a decorated hoops background. Owns a higher success rate in contested-catch situations as he does a nice job of consistently positioning himself to make a play and then securing the ball away from his body.
"Lacks the play strength and technique to really hold his own as an in-line blocker, but has shown that he can move defenders out on the perimeter, and is likely only going to add more value to the run game once he adds mass to a promising, yet slender frame that's believed to be hovering right around 6-foot-5, 215 pounds."
