2025 class prospect & Four-star RB Akylin Dear decommits from Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss: Reports

While programs like the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes are hitting the headlines with back-to-back commitments, the Ole Miss Rebels are struggling with an unfortunate string of decommitments. The misfortune continues as four-star running back Akylin Dear also pulled his commitment from Lane Kiffin's 2025 class.

Earlier this year, Akylin Dear had chosen Ole Miss over Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Mississippi State. Following his commitment to the Rebels on March 3, he announced his decommitment decision on Friday night, citing personal considerations and the pursuit of his lifelong dreams.

“I’ve been thinking about it for sometime now and just have been contemplating on what’s best for me and my future,” Dear said (via On3). “It’s always been a tough decision because you want to stay home and put on for your home state, but at the same time you want to follow your dream that you grew up loving this team all your life and as a kid, saying I wanted to play for this team.

"At the end of the day I had to do what was best for me and my family and what made me happy so that I don’t ever have any regrets.”

With Akylin Dear's decommitment, the Rebels' 2025 class now only has nine members. He becomes the fourth high-profile recruit from the class to do so this week, starting with wide receiver Jerome Myles. Four-star receiver Dillon Alfred and three-star defensive end Corey Amos also decommitted shortly after Myles.

Alabama emerges as the frontrunner in securing Akylin Dear's pledge

Despite being committed to the Rebels, Akylin Dear didn’t shut down his visits to other programs. He visited the Crimson Tide in the spring, following his pledge to Ole Miss. His several visits to Tuscaloosa, coupled with an official visit on June 14, have paved the way for Alabama to potentially earn his commitment.

On3's recruiting prediction machine sees an 85.9% chance of Dear enrolling at Kalen DeBoer's Alabama, which currently has the second-ranked recruiting class for the 2025 cycle.

The prospect currently doesn’t have any top program on his priority list. Instead, he remains focused on his upcoming season at Quitman High School, where his standout performance as a junior earned second-team All-State honors. He doesn’t have any visits scheduled for the end of the upcoming month when the current dead period for recruitment ends.

“I know whenever I do make this final decision that’s going to be it because it will be time for me to focus on my season and helping my team and teammates compete and win a championship.” [H/T On3]

Akylin Dear is the No. 45 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle, the No. 1 running back, and the No. 2 prospect in Mississippi, according to 247Sports. Last season, he recorded 2,016 rushing yards, along with 27 touchdowns, and will be waiting to open the upcoming season against the Meridian Wildcats in August.