‘That Was Outrageous’ — Paul Finebaum Calls Out Nick Saban’s ‘Arrogance’ for Stirring Up Kamario Taylor’s Transfer Speculation

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Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor has been one of the sensations of the 2026 college football season. His play is electric. He has, for the most part, delivered in big moments, and his play has invited both Heisman and 2028 NFL Draft speculation.

The lofty talk has been earned for Taylor. He grew up in Macon, Mississippi, just a half hour from Mississippi State University, and signed with his hometown team as a four-star recruit. He served as the backup to Blake Shapen as a freshman, biding his time and working behind the scenes. And in 2026, he delivered.

After winning the starting job, Taylor has not only ran with it, but has become one of the best starting QBs in the SEC and the nation beyond. Across his first four games, Taylor completed 83 of 120 pass attempts for 1,192 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just 2 interceptions, while also rushing for 185 yards and a score.

Taylor’s PFN QB Impact of 89.6 is a near-elite score that ranks fifth in the entire nation. At 6’4″, 230 pounds, he visibly has early-round physical tools. He’s a well-regarded team leader with a maturity beyond his years, and his combined talent and production have many looking ahead to both the NFL Draft stage and the transfer portal.

Paul Finebaum Pushes Back Against Nick Saban’s Transfer Portal Message About Kamario Taylor

The portal speculation, in particular, has been a lightning rod for SEC and college football fans alike. Mississippi State has never been the most desirable destination in the SEC, and in the NIL era, the cream of the crop is consistently flowing up to high-demand, resource-rich schools.

However, SEC analyst Paul Finebaum was quick to call out this assumption, particularly among some of the leading voices in CFB media. In his crosshairs, in particular, was legendary coach turned ESPN analyst Nick Saban.

“I don’t blame fans calling up [radio shows] and saying, ‘Oh, he’s going to go to LSU. He’s going to play for Kalen DeBoer. I tell you, there’s somebody I do blame for what happened this week in the country. This may be verboten, but I blame Nick Saban because Nick Saban went on ‘College GameDay’ and showed the arrogance of Alabama by saying, ‘Well, yeah, I’d go in the portal and sign him.’

“I think that was outrageous for somebody who was supposed to be one of the voices and faces of college football. … And it came an hour after he pleaded with the audience to vote for this for the [Protect College Sports Act] Senate bill, which is going to limit [transfers]. And then he comes there and say, ‘Yeah, I’d go get him.’ And the arrogance of that, I think, sends a chilling message to fans [at Mississippi State] that you’re not good enough if Alabama or LSU or Florida or Georgia decides to come get him.”

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Finebaum has been a polarizing voice in his time covering college football, but here, his point is rational, and it resonates with the attrition that many felt, regarding a new, chaotic NIL and transfer portal system that has few guidelines and seems to reward the teams that have the largest coffers.

Therein, however, may be an opportunity for Taylor himself to flip the script. His Bulldogs are falling short against Alabama, but they’ll still be 4-1, in the thick of the SEC race, and are visibly on the upswing. Taylor is a potential 2028 or 2029 first-round pick who’s actively making Mississippi State a more desirable destination.

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His career may prove to be an ode to what still remains of a player’s free will to help shape the fate of himself and his team in modern college football. If he continues to succeed and hangs up the phone on coaches emulating Saban’s call, that’ll be the first step.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

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