The Alabama football program is once again dominating the recruiting trail, despite the fact that head coach Nick Saban has left the program. Caleb Cunningham, a wide receiver from Ackerman, Mississippi, who attended Choctaw County High School, is one of the five-star recruits who committed.
Despite having announced his intention to play for the Crimson Tide on July 13 via his X, formerly Twitter, account, Cunningham is still scheduled to visit other colleges like as Ole Miss and Auburn next week, which may surprise some that further decisions must be made. However, Cunningham would tell Joseph Hastings of BamaOnLine.com that he is “not going anywhere.”
“Shoot, I’m actually locked in. “I’m not leaving,” Cunningham stated of his commitment to the Alabama football team. “I might make other visits just to have fun and get out of the house, but I’m certainly committed to Bama. I am not going anywhere, for sure. People can speak, but I know I’m trapped in. “I am not going anywhere.”
Cunningham aims to create with Kalen DeBoer, Alabama football
It will be an exciting three days for Cunningham, who will still visit Ole Miss and Auburn on July 26th and 27th as the two programs attempt to sway the locked-in five-star wide receiver. The next day, on the 28th, there will be a cookout hosted by Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer and others, where they will invite all of the five-star recruits from whom they have received commitments, as Cunningham discusses what he intends to do that day.
“Really, building a relationship with them,” Cunningham added. “It’s usually a good idea to start developing relationships with your future classmates. Simply cutting it up with them. Things like that.
According to Hastings of BamaOnLine, while the Alabama football program was first, Auburn was supposedly second on Cunningham’s list, and he even considered them at one time before “privately” picking the Crimson Tide on his visit in late June. The five-star receiver was forthright in his thoughts about comparing institutions like the Crimson Tide with the Auburn Tigers, telling Hastings that the latter “can’t compete” with the famed football program.
“Auburn can’t compete with Alabama, to be honest,” Cunningham remarked. “It was a terrific visit. Auburn is a terrific school with amazing people. And then, Bama, they have a lot more for me to reach to the next level. I don’t believe Auburn has drafted many receivers. I don’t know anyone who has come from there. “There might be a couple, but not recently.”
Cunningham talks choosing Crimson Tide over other schools like Auburn
Cunningham has a point in one respect: the Alabama football program has recently produced some of the NFL’s greatest receivers, including Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, and many more. If you want to play in the NFL someday, there is no better place to develop into a complete player while winning football games than with the Crimson Tide.
Still, Auburn has generated talent and is a great institution for any recruit to attend, but Alabama’s football program has not lost its appeal, particularly since Nick Saban retired, as previously said. Cunningham, on the other hand, made it clear that he does not “have anything” against the university, describing it as a “great school.”
“I’ve got nothing against Auburn. It’s a terrific institution, I love the coaching staff, they’re amazing people, and I have nothing against them, but it feels great to be committed to Bama,” Cunningham said. “I’d also like to be able to compete every day. I’ll be playing against good players, which will help me improve. Things like that. Every day during practice, there will be a variety of good people on the field. That’s how we improve and become the greatest.
According to 247Sports, Cunningham participated in a variety of sports in high school, including football, basketball, and track and field. In terms of his football career at Choctaw County High School, he set school records as a junior, catching 48 receptions for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Five-star receiver talks his goals with the Alabama football team
The Crimson Tide have won six national titles since 2009, when the school was led by Saban, demonstrating how prestigious Cunningham’s program will be. However, it is worth noting that with Kalen DeBoer as head coach, the club can play and look different on the field. Even so, Cunningham reiterated his enthusiasm for the institution, stating that “they have everything that you need.”
“Just the love there,” Cunningham told BamaOnLine’s Hastings. “They’ve got everything you need. If I went to another school, I would undoubtedly regret it. Why not Alabama, though? They’ll get you where you need to be. They are going to grow you and create. That’s the important point. I’m looking forward.
“I know going to Bama,” Cunningham said of his goals while in the Alabama football program. “I’m hoping to be drafted in the first or second round and go to the league,” Cunningham said. “I’m looking at the future, for sure.”
At any rate, Cunningham is looking to help the team’s future, as they are now hoping to improve after a 12-2 record, 8-0 in the conference, and finishing rated fourth, losing to the national champions, Michigan, at the Rose Bowl. They will open the season at home against Western Kentucky University on Saturday, August 31, ushering in a new era for Alabama football under DeBoer and quarterback Jalen Milroe.
