Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin in to see Alabama 4-star TE commit, Rebels target Caleb Odom

Less than 24 hours after taking down Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is right back on the recruiting trail.

The fourth-year Rebels skipper is in the Peach State to check in on Carrollton (Ga.) four-star tight end and Alabama commit Caleb Odom:

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— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 25, 2023

Despite Odom’s commitment to Alabama on July 15, Kiffin and the Rebels have kept their foot on the gas. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder visited Oxford on back-to-back weekends, rounding things out with an official visit at the beginning of November.

Part of the interest in the Rebels stems from Odom being recruited as a wide receiver by Ole Miss, rather than as a tight end, as most other programs — including Alabama — have done.

“The interest in Ole Miss is real. No doubt about that,” On3’s Chad Simmons wrote following Odom’s OV at the beginning of the month. “Odom was offered early by Chris Partridge to play wide receiver. Most schools, including Alabama, have recruited the playmaker out of Carrollton (Ga.) to play tight end, but he has always liked the idea of playing receiver on the next level.”

Odom remains committed to the Crimson Tide

The Crimson Tide have stayed steady, however. Odom has also made multiple trips to Tuscaloosa this fall and continues to say the right things when it comes to his pledge to Nick Saban and Co.

“What they’re doing this season — after losing to Texas — is incredible. Milroe looks great,” Odom told BamaOnLine on Nov. 8. “Right now, I’m still a Bama commit. I’m still going to cheer for them. I’m still in connection with all the players there. Still talking with recruits there. I’m still talking with Coach [Joe] Cox every day.

“That commitment is set right now. For all I know, it’s not going to change anytime soon.”

Odom is the No. 45 overall prospect and No. 2 tight end in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s Bama’s third highest-ranked pledge in its 2024 class, but would be Ole Miss’ top pledge if he were to flip to the Rebels.

He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $174K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.