Why Mississippi State football has added so many FSU, Oklahoma transfers to 2026 roster
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(This story was updated to add new information.)
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football is using some of its past connections to add players in the transfer portal for the 2026 roster.
The Bulldogs have gotten 20 transfers since the portal opened Jan. 2, and a pattern is noticeable.
Four of the transfers are coming to MSU from Florida State as of Jan. 13. Another three are former Oklahoma players.
Here’s why they all had previous connections to Mississippi State.
Mississippi State has 4 Florida State transfers
A lot of transfers are related to coaching connections. That’s a part of why MSU and coach Jeff Lebby have four Florida State transfers.
The Bulldogs rehired Zach Arnett as defensive coordinator after he spent the 2025 season as an analyst with the Seminoles. Arnett was the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator when coach Mike Leach died in 2022. Arnett was promoted to head coach but was fired in 2023.
Two of the Florida State transfers are on defense: defensive lineman Jayson Jenkins and edge rusher Amaree Williams.
Jenkins transferred to Florida State in 2025 after three seasons at Tennessee and had a career-high 17 tackles this season and one sack.
Williams is a two-way player who also played tight end in his two seasons at Florida State. On offense, he caught five passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns in 2024 and had two catches for 51 yards and a touchdown this season.
Williams also recorded 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks this season as a sophomore. The North Palm Beach, Florida, native was ranked as a four-star athlete in high school, according to the 247Sports Composite, and reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class.
The other two Florida State transfers are offensive linemen who redshirted as freshmen in 2025.
Mario Nash Jr. was a four-star in the 2025 recruiting class from Kemper County who flipped from MSU to Florida State in October 2024. Ja’Elyne Matthews was a three-star who transferred to Florida State from Rutgers in the spring.
Mississippi State also has 3 Oklahoma transfers
Mississippi State’s connection with Oklahoma is a bit more obvious because it was Lebby’s team before he was hired by the Bulldogs after the 2023 season. MSU offensive line coach Phil Loadholt, tight ends coach Jon Cooper and quarterbacks coach Matt Holecek were also analysts on that Oklahoma staff. Newly hired offensive assistant coach Kevin Johns was also an analyst at Oklahoma in 2024.
But this is the first transfer cycle in Lebby’s three seasons that multiple Oklahoma players are transferring to Mississippi State.
Wide receiver Zion Ragins has a somewhat similar profile to Brenen Thompson, who led the SEC in receiving yards after transferring from Oklahoma to MSU but is out of eligibility. Ragins is a speedy receiver who hasn’t had much production yet. He was a four-star in the 2024 recruiting class and caught 10 passes for 69 yards as a freshman, but had no receptions in two games this season.
Kendel Dolby is an experienced defensive back who in 2023 was an All-Big 12 honorable mention after totaling 49 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions. His 2024 season was cut to three games due to a season-ending injury, and he only played in four games this season.
Offensive lineman Isaiah Dent played in one game in 2024 as a freshman and two games in 2025. He was a three-star from Itawamba Agriculture High School.
Even if Lebby wasn’t on staff when Ragins and Dent arrived at Oklahoma, it’s likely he was involved in their high school recruiting.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why Mississippi State football has 7 transfers from FSU, Oklahoma
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