Caleb Cunningham is a sophomore wide receiver from Weir, Miss., and was Ole Miss’ first five-star wide receiver recruit since Laquon Treadwell in the class of 2013. Cunningham is a homegrown talent and the future of the Rebel wide receiver corps.
Cunningham grew up a Mississippi State fan but chose Ole Miss over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. He was originally committed to Alabama then flipped to the Rebels on Nov. 13, 2024.
In an interview with The Daily Mississippian, Cunningham said he decided to stay in Mississippi and play at Ole Miss because of its reputation for producing stellar receivers.
“I chose Ole Miss because (it’s) close to home. Plus, this is a school that’s big on developing receivers and producing them to get to the (NFL),” Cunningham said. “It just feels like family here — … great people in the town. It’s just a great place to be. Great atmosphere for sure.”
The Mississippi native is fighting for more snaps this season. As a freshman, he had just one catch for 19 yards, but he has earned more opportunities this season with 13 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown.
On top of proximity to home, Oxford was an attractive destination for Cunningham because of how hard the Rebels pushed for him.
“(Ole Miss) just kept fighting for me. I really loved that,” Cunningham said. “It wasn’t (anything) bad towards Alabama. (I) had to realize I would have had a better opportunity here, which I am getting a better opportunity (now). Plus, home is home.”
Cunningham’s breakout game came against Missouri in Week 7 in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. He led the team with 61 yards on three catches, including a touchdown catch and a 25-yard reception.
“I got to give all my praise and glory to God,” Cunningham said. “He’s the one that let me capitalize off that. … That’s who made me have that performance.”
He also tallied 65 yards on six catches against Charlotte. His receptions per game have been inconsistent this season, but he is getting more comfortable playing college ball, in large part thanks to Rebel wide receiver coaches L’Damian Washington and Micheal Spurlock.
“(As a freshman), I still had some more development to work on, and I still do today, but last year it was mainly learning the plays,” Cunningham said. “This year, (Washington) has helped me. He got one of the assistant receiver coaches (to help me) every day (with) a walk-through, a meeting and all that. That helped a lot.”
The biggest change between last season and this season is preparation and Cunningham’s understanding of the game plan.
“(Washington) pushes me every day because that’s all I need to know: the plays,” Cunningham said. “I know I can go out there and perform, the talent is there, but you have to know what you’re doing when you’re out there. This year, it’s just more walk-throughs for me to make sure I stay (on) top of that so I can play.”
Cunningham could be the next great Ole Miss wide receiver in a long line of talented pass-catchers. Famous Rebel receivers include names like Treadwell, DK Metcalf, Donte Moncrief — who is an assistant general manager for the football team — and A.J. Brown. Some of those former players have been a part of Cunningham’s ongoing journey to stardom.
“I talked to DK Metcalf a couple times. … He’s always here in the offseason,” Cunningham said. “He always checks on me (to) make sure I’m good. … Donte Moncrief, that’s one of my big mentors. He’s the one that’s really big on me and stays on me every day.”
Last season, Cunningham was around standout Ole Miss receivers like De’Zhaun Stribling, Harrison Wallace III and Cayden Lee. Cunningham and Stribling were both X-receivers, which made it easier for Cunningham to learn from him.
“I really learned from (Stribling) and Wallace and Cayden Lee. … Even Deuce (Alexander), they all had that pro mindset,” Cunningham said. “The stuff they did, that’s what I wanted to do. Being around those guys and being in a room with them, it’s just a blessing to have guys like that.”
With all three of those receivers no longer in Oxford, Alexander has stepped up to fill a leadership role and guide Cunningham.
“Deuce (Alexander), when I’m running a route, he always tells me, ‘Keep the pad level low.’ That’s something I like from him. He’s going to keep me under his wing for sure,” Cunningham said.
Out of high school, Cunningham was a highly sought-after five-star recruit, but that label did not mean much to him.
“Stars don’t really matter. I didn’t care if I was a one-star, two-star, three-star,” Cunningham said. “You just have to play. Stars don’t matter when you go to college.”
Cunningham attended Choctaw County High School in Ackerman, Miss., and lit up the field. He totaled 877 yards and 13 touchdowns on 42 receptions as a senior. His junior year, he set school records in receptions with 48 and yards with 1,138. He also hauled in 14 touchdowns.
The Choctaw County Chargers won the 3A Class Mississippi High School State Championship in 2024. Cunningham had four catches for 52 yards and a touchdown in the win. The Chargers went up against current Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor in that game.
“My favorite high school memory overall is winning the state championship my senior year,” Cunningham said. “On the big play, I scored a tunnel screen. That set the momentum. Plus, going against Kamario Taylor in high school, that was great beating him because he (is) having success at Mississippi State.”
Dillon Mitchell, Cunningham’s high school head coach during his junior and senior years, played an important role in his development.
“Caleb (Cunningham) was just always so selfless and humble,” Mitchell said in an interview with The Daily Mississippian. “Even with all of the accolades that he received and the attention that he got throughout his high school career, he was just always so selfless, and he was also one of our hardest workers in the program.”
Cunningham is a great player, but Mitchell also praised him for who he is off the field.
“Anytime your best players are your best people, that’s what you want,” Mitchell said. “He has great parents. He was raised the right way. Just salt-of-the-earth people that really demanded him to … always keep God first and to be humble and to work hard and be super respectful.”
On the field, Mitchell was aware of Cunningham’s talent before he coached him. By the time Mitchell got to Choctaw County High School, Cunningham was already on his way to greatness.
“(Cunningham was actually) in 10th grade, because I came in that spring and he had already gotten his first DI offers, but I was actually an offensive coordinator at a school not too far away,” Cunningham said. “Even when he was in eighth grade and they came to a 7-on-7 one summer, there was just a lanky kid (who) was making plays that you wouldn’t expect a kid his age to make.”
While Mitchell may not have been there for Cunningham’s early development, he played a pivotal role later on.
“(Mitchell) was really important to me because he was the one that kept staying on me. He was telling me how great I could be,” Cunningham said. “I have a long way to go from that, but I got to continue to put the work in and he always stayed on me.”
He was also a basketball and track and field athlete. While Cunningham ultimately chose football, he is confident he could have gone DI in basketball, too.
“When you’re in college, you’re going against guys that (are 6 feet 11 inches), so I can’t just go in there and dunk on them,” Cunningham said. “I know I can dunk on somebody that’s (6 feet 11 inches) for sure, but … I love football. That’s where I’m going to get my money at.”
Outside of football, Cunningham is a “country guy” who likes to ride horses. If he was not playing football, he said he would probably be working with horses. One day, Rebel fans may see the next great Ole Miss receiver in cowboy boots and jeans going down the Walk of Champions.
“One day for sure. I’m definitely thinking about doing that, wearing my cowboy hat and all that,” Cunningham said.
