Alabama loses elite 5-star receiver to rival SEC team despite previously being '1,000% committed"
Even though the Alabama Crimson Tide won a huge primetime game against LSU last week, head coach Kalen DeBoer couldn't overcome the homefield advantage Ole Miss had with 5-star receiver Caleb Cunningham. Cunningham, who’s the top player in Mississippi and the No. 3 wide receiver in the 2025 recruiting class, just made a big announcement […]
Even though the Alabama Crimson Tide won a huge primetime game against LSU last week, head coach Kalen DeBoer couldn't overcome the homefield advantage Ole Miss had with 5-star receiver Caleb Cunningham.
Cunningham, who’s the top player in Mississippi and the No. 3 wide receiver in the 2025 recruiting class, just made a big announcement this week – he’s flipping his commitment from Alabama to Ole Miss. This move puts the Rebels in a position to potentially land one of the best recruiting classes in the country.
Cunningham had been committed to Alabama since July, even going as far as to say on social media that he was "1,000% committed."
The buzz around Cunningham switching to Ole Miss really started to pick up after he visited Oxford for the Rebels’ win over Georgia. He was spotted signing autographs for fans and told On3's Zach Berry, “Man, my brand is big [in Oxford]. People know who I am.”
Right now, Alabama is still sitting pretty with the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports' composite ranking, and they’re still in the mix for top prospects.
DeBoer and his team are keeping the momentum going on the recruiting trail just like Nick Saban’s crew did, and they’re still aiming for a top-ranked class even with Cunningham’s flip.
Here's a scouting report on Cunningham from 247Sports Scouting Analyst Gabe Brooks:
Unverified size and athleticism, but clearly possesses physical traits and excellent functional athleticism on tape. Know less about him than most other wideouts in the class, but definitely aware that he's a dynamic basketball player with big production on the hardwood. Translates body control and bounce to ball-winning mismatch effectiveness at wideout. Unstoppable in red-zone situations. Strong-handed in traffic. Runs hard in run-after-catch situations and bowls his way through arm tackles. Long-striding gait that creates necessity for build-up speed. Natural route sense and spatial awareness. Question the top-end athlete from speed and lateral perspectives relative to others in the class, though athletic profile is admittedly excellent with the hoops context. Projects as a high-major impact player with a long-term ceiling that could lead to NFL Draft consideration.
