Defensive lineman T.A. Cunningham, one of the top recruits in the 2024 signing class, is currently fighting to become eligible for the high school football season in California. After the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section ruled that Cunningham would be ineligible in 2022, an attorney for Cunningham filed an injunction in Orange County Superior Court trying to overturn that ruling, per a report from ESPN.
Cunningham transferred from his home in Georgia to Los Alamitos High School in California over the offseason and applied to be immediately eligible on the grounds of hardship. But the CIF-SS rejected Cunningham's request on the grounds that the defensive lineman "does not meet the definition of a 'homeless student' and/or has failed to establish that his change of schools was due to a 'hardship.'"
Michael Caspino, Cunningham's attorney, provided photographic evidence to the court showing that Cunningham's family was evicted from their Georgia home earlier this year. That is what Cunningham says prompted the transfer to Los Alamitos.
Following the family's eviction, Cunningham's father contacted The Levels Group, which was created to facilitate NIL deals for college and high school athletes. According to the filing from Cunningham's legal team, The Levels Group promised that the Cunningham family would have "a home, transportation and meals in California."
There was also a promise that Cunningham's mother would have her own place to live in Georgia.
However, none of those promises were kept, according to the ESPN report. Instead, Cunningham and his brother moved into the home of The Levels Group co-founder Chris Flores. On Aug. 8, Flores was arrested on multiple counts of sexual assault of a minor.
After Flores' arrest, The Levels Group allegedly went dark on Cunningham and his family. Cunningham's contract with the company was rescinded upon his request.
"Now, [Cunningham] is homeless," the filing reads. "He did not receive the NIL deals that were promised by the Levels Team. He has been victimized."
According to Caspino, the CIF-SS has dropped its objection to Cunningham's hardship claim, but it is now investigating possible "undue influence" on Cunningham's transfer. Pre-enrollment contact with coaches before a transfer is prohibited, and Cunningham could remain ineligible if that occurred in his case.
Caspino also included an email to CIF-SS commissioner Rob Wigod expressing concerns about "mega teams" and player safety if Cunningham were allowed to play as part of the injunction.
Cunningham is a four-star recruit and the No. 49 overall player in the 2024 signing class, according to the 247Sports rankings.
