5-star WR Caleb Cunningham had 4-words for why he chose to sign with Ole Miss after flipping from Kalen DeBoer's Alabama

By Aman Sharma

Modified Dec 05, 2024 16:55 GMT

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Ole Miss made a significant splash during the early signing period on Wednesday, securing 21 signees, including five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham, ranked as Mississippi’s top prospect.

Despite missing out on flipping five-star quarterback Deuce Knight, who committed to Auburn, Lane Kiffin’s Rebels assembled the No. 15 recruiting class nationally, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Cunningham, heralded as the nation’s No. 3 receiver by On3, solidified his decision to stay in his home state with a four-word message,

“I love Lane Kiffin.”

The Ackerman (Miss.) Choctaw County standout expressed his desire to follow in the footsteps of Ole Miss greats like D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown.

“Everyone is going to be an Ole Miss fan now. I’m staying in the Sip so everyone can watch me play,” Cunningham told On3. “D.K. (Metcalf) and A.J. (Brown), I want to follow in their footsteps. I can be the next wide receiver to do it.”

The Rebels’ wide receiver corps, thinned by the departure of Juice Wells, received a substantial boost not only with Cunningham’s signing but also with the addition of four-star Winston Watkins.

Despite their strong recruiting efforts, Ole Miss (9-3, 5-3 SEC) faced disappointment in the College Football Playoff rankings. In the penultimate CFP ranking released on Tuesday, the Rebels were in 13th place, just out of the 12-team playoff field.

The final CFP ranking will be published on Sunday.

“It’s a lot easier when you just have to get up for two games a year,” Lane Kiffin said.

Caleb Cunningham aims to become the face of the 2025 recruiting class

Caleb Cunningham, a dynamic 6-foot-2, 180-pound athlete, held offers from top programs across the country before committing to Alabama on July 13. Cunningham’s decision to stay home underscores his confidence in Ole Miss’s ability to prepare him for the NFL.

“Ole Miss can get me to the league, no question about it,” Cunningham told On3. “I want to be the face of Mississippi. Stay home and play in the Sip.”

Cunningham’s repeated visits to Oxford this fall played a significant role in his decision, positioning him as the crown jewel of Lane Kiffin’s 2025 recruiting class.

Cunningham, ranked No. 21 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking, is also Mississippi’s top prospect. Reflecting on his journey, he shared,

“When I was little, I was like, ‘I’m going to be a five-star one day.’ I always prayed about it. My prayers have come true,” Cunningham told WCBI.

His outstanding sports performance is clearly visible in the record of his high school years, where he accumulated 1,012 receiving yards and six touchdowns during his first two years on the team. Now the centerpiece of the Rebels’ 2025 recruiting class, Cunningham has become a representative of homegrown talent choosing to remain loyal to Mississippi.