Mississippi State football, Jeff Lebby transfer portal live updates tracker for 2026
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STARKVILLE — The college football transfer portal opened Jan. 2, and Mississippi State has already made roster changes for the 2026 season.
The Bulldogs are looking to upgrade their 2026 roster after going 5-8 in coach Jeff Lebby’s second season. He declared after the Egg Bowl that the roster will be centered around quarterback Kamario Taylor after he made his first career start.
New for the 2026 season is a 15-day transfer window from Jan. 2-16. The first day of the transfer portal was the same day that MSU lost to Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
The Clarion Ledger is tracking all of MSU’s transfer moves for the 2026 season. See the latest updates below.
Who Mississippi State has added in the transfer portal
Southern Cal DL Gus Cordova
Cordova committed to Mississippi State on Jan. 9. He was a freshman at USC this season and played in two games with one tackle. Cordova was a three-star recruit in the 2025 class from Austin, Texas.
Arkansas OL LJ Prudhomme
Prudhomme committed to MSU on Jan. 9, according to multiple reports. He redshirted as a freshman in 2025 and was a three-star high school recruit.
Florida State TE/DL Amaree Williams
Williams signed with Mississippi State on Jan. 9. He’s a two-way player who played tight end and defensive line as a sophomore. On offense, he started two games and caught two passes for 51 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Williams had 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Florida State OL Ja’Elyne Matthews
Matthews signed with Mississippi State on Jan. 9. He was a three-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class who redshirted this season. Matthews transferred from Rutgers to Florida State in the spring.
Rice S Marcus Williams
Williams committed to Mississippi State on Jan. 7, according to reports from On3 and 247Sports. He was a starter this season as a redshirt junior and produced 67 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and five pass break ups. Williams is from Hoover, Alabama.
Florida DB Jamroc Grimsley
Grimsley committed to Mississippi State on Jan. 7. The redshirt freshman played in three games this season with one start for a total of 27 snaps and one tackle. He was a four-star in the 2024 recruiting class who originally signed with Alabama.
Syracuse DB Kaylib Singleton
Singleton committed to Mississippi State on Jan. 6. He played in eight games this season as a freshman, posting 16 tackles.
Iowa State DB Quentin Taylor Jr.
Taylor committed to Mississippi State on Jan. 6. He made six starts this season as a redshirt freshman, recording 27 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and five pass break ups.
Florida State OL Mario Nash Jr.
Nash committed to Mississippi State on Jan. 6. He was a four-star freshman in the 2025 recruiting class who flipped from MSU to Florida State. Nash redshirted this season.
Appalachian State QB AJ Swann
Swann committed to Mississippi State on Jan. 5. He’s a veteran QB with 18 career starts between Vanderbilt, LSU and App State. He’ll likely be the MSU backup quarterback to Kamario Taylor in 2026.
Florida State DL Jayson Jenkins
Jenkins committed to MSU on Jan. 5. He had 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack this season. Jenkins previously played for Tennessee.
Missouri WR Marquis Johnson
Johnson committed to MSU on Jan. 4. He was third on Missouri this season with 340 receiving yards as a junior. Johnson has 1,075 yards and six touchdowns in his career and is a Dickinson, Texas native.
Transfers visiting Mississippi State
UAB OL Brandon Sneh
Sneh will visit Mississippi State on Jan. 9, according to ESPN. He started 11 games this season at left tackle.
LSU S Jardin Gilbert
Gilbert will visit MSU, according to 247Sports. He played three seasons at Texas A&M before two seasons at LSU. Gilbert played in five games this season with three starts. In 2024, he had nine starts in 13 games.
Southern Cal DL Gus Cordova
Cordova announced he’s visiting Mississippi State, but did not say when. He was a freshman at USC this season and played in two games with one tackle. Cordova was a three-star recruit in the 2025 class from Austin, Texas.
Florida State OL Ja’Elyne Matthews
Matthews announced he’s visiting MSU on Jan. 7. He was a three-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class who redshirted this season. Matthews transferred from Rutgers to Florida State in the spring.
Appalachian State QB AJ Swann
Swann visited Mississippi State from Jan. 3-4, according to On3. He played at Vanderbilt from 2022-23 and LSU in 2024 and has 18 career starts, including six at App State.
Iowa State CB Quentin Taylor Jr.
Taylor is visiting Mississippi State, according to On3. He made six starts this season as a redshirt freshman. The report said he’ll also visit Cincinnati and Kentucky.
Houston Christian CB Tyran Chappell
Chappell will visit Mississippi State on Jan. 5, according to a report from 247Sports. He’ll also visit Michigan State on Jan. 3, according to the report.
Florida State OL Mario Nash Jr.
Nash announced that he will be visiting Mississippi State on Jan. 5. He was a former four-star MSU commit that flipped to Florida State in the class of 2025.
Florida State OT Lucas Simmons
Simmons set up a visit with Mississippi State, according to 247Sports. He mainly played on special teams the last two seasons. According to the report, he’ll also visit Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, Georgia and James Madison.
UNLV DE Tunmise Adeleye
Adeleye will visit Mississippi State on Jan. 5-6, according to 247Sports. He had 49 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss and six sacks this season. According to the report, Adeleye will visit Syracuse first.
Tennessee State OT Veguer Jean-Jumeau
Jean-Jumeau will visit Mississippi State on Jan. 6, he announced on social media. He started 12 games at left tackle this season as a redshirt freshman. According to a report from 247Sports, he’ll also visit Oklahoma State on Jan. 5.
LSU OL DJ Chester
Chester has set a visit to Mississippi State, according to 247Sports. He started 13 games at center in 2024, but slid down the depth chart this season and made one start in seven games. According to the report, he’ll also visit Georgia Tech, Baylor and South Carolina.
Florida State DL Jayson Jenkins
Jenkins plans to visit Mississippi State, according to 247Sports. He started five games this season, recording 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. Jenkins previously played at Tennessee. According to the report, he also plans to visit Clemson, Arkansas and Georga Tech.
Florida DT Tarvorise Brown
Brown is visiting Mississippi State on Jan. 3, according to 247Sports. The redshirt sophomore appeared in three games this season and was previously a walk-on at Florida.
Mississippi State football players who’ve entered the transfer portal
CB Jayven Williams
Williams entered the portal on Jan. 8, according to On3. He was a second-string CB this season after transferring from Kennesaw State.
DB DK McGruder
McGruder announced on Jan. 8 that he’s entered the transfer portal. He joined MSU this season from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and did not play in any games.
DL Kedrick Bingley-Jones
Bingley-Jones announced on Jan. 7 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He made 25 tackles this season with no sacks.
LB Montrell Chapman
Chapman entered the transfer portal on Jan. 6. The junior from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College played in five games this season and made one tackle.
OL Koby Keenum
Keenum announced on Jan. 5 that he’s entered the transfer portal. He played in 13 games this season after transferring from Kentucky, mainly on special teams and as a backup center.
Keenum committed to Memphis.
RB Seth Davis
Davis announced on Jan. 4 that he’s entered the transfer portal. He was a contributor as a freshman in 2023 and even made one start but suffered a knee injury in that season’s Egg Bowl that caused him to miss all of 2024. Davis and five carries for 47 yards and one touchdown this season.
OL Luke Work
Work announced on Jan. 4 that he’s entered the transfer portal. He made seven starts as a freshman in 2024, but only one in 2025.
Work committed to Missouri.
DL Kai McClendon
McClendon plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a report from ESPN on Jan. 3. He showed promise as a freshman in 2024, but missed all of 2025 with an injury.
McClendon committed to Washington.
CB Elijah Cannon
Cannon announced on Jan. 3 that he’s entered the transfer portal. The redshirt freshman played in 10 games this season, mostly on special teams, and had one tackle.
Cannon committed to Kansas.
S Cyrus Reyes
Reyes announced on Jan. 3 that he’s entered the transfer portal. The sophomore played in all 13 games this season mainly on special teams and had seven tackles.
WR Davian Jackson
Jackson is entering the portal, according to a report from 247Sports on Dec. 31. The freshman did not play in any games this season.
CB Dwight Lewis III
Lewis announced on Instagram on Dec. 22 that he’ll be entering the transfer portal, with the hope of getting an extra year of eligibility. He is a redshirt senior, but played four seasons at NAIA Marian. He played in 12 games this season, mostly on special teams, making 10 tackles.
S Tyler Woodard
Woodard announced on Dec. 20 that he intends to enter the transfer portal. The junior left the program in September.
DL Ashun Shepphard
Shepphard announced on Dec. 20 that he intends to enter the transfer portal. The senior from Brandon played in two games this season and made four tackles.
RB Johnnie Daniels
Daniels announced on Dec. 20 that he’ll enter the transfer portal. He was Mississippi State’s No. 2 running back in 2024, but fell behind this season when Fluff Bothwell was added. Daniels played in three games this season and had nine carries for 44 yards.
QB Luke Kromenhoek
Kromenhoek announced on Dec. 18 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He transferred from Florida State this season and was the third string quarterback behind Blake Shapen and Kamario Taylor. Kromenhoek completed two passes on four attempts for 20 yards this season while rushing for 24 yards and one touchdown.
Kromenhoek commited to USF.
TE Cam Ball
Ball announced on Dec. 18 that he intends to enter the transfer portal. The junior had two catches for 12 yards this season. He transferred to MSU from Buffalo in 2024.
TE Emeka Iloh
Iloh announced on Dec. 16 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He did not appear in any games this season after joining from Coahoma Community College.
S Lo’Kavion Jackson
Jackson plans to enter the portal according to a report from 247Sports on Dec. 15. The freshman did not play in any games this season.
WR Ferzell Shepard
Shepard announced on Dec. 14 that he’s entering the transfer portal. The freshman did not appear in any games in 2025 and was a three-star in the 2025 recruiting class.
OL Jimothy Lewis Jr.
Lewis plans to enter the portal according to a report from Rivals on Dec. 14. The redshirt freshman was a four-star in the 2024 recruiting class and started five games this season at tackle.
TE Max Reese
Reese announced he’s entering the portal on Dec. 14. He transferred from Eastern Michigan this season and had two catches for one yard.
LB Joseph Head Jr.
Head announced on Dec. 12 that he’s entering the transfer portal. The redshirt sophomore from Lexington played in 11 games this season and had six tackles.
Head committed to Memphis.
WR Markus Allen
Allen announced on Dec. 9 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He had one catch for seven yards this season after transferring from Eastern Michigan.
S Tony Mitchell
Mitchell will be entering the transfer portal according to a report from On3 on Dec. 9. He joined MSU from East Mississippi Community College this season and was a second-string linebacker. Mitchell made 25 tackles this season with four tackles for loss.
OL Brennan Smith
Smith announced on Dec. 9 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He played in three games this season as a backup lineman after transferring from UTEP.
K Marlon Hauck
Hauck announced Dec. 5 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He did not attempt any kicks this season and 27 kickoffs.
OL Alex Lopez
Lopez announced on Dec. 5 that he’s entering the transfer portal. The walk-on redshirt freshman from Cleveland played in one game this season.
Lopez committed to Western Kentucky.
DL Corey Clark
Clark announced on Dec. 4 that he’s entering the transfer portal. The redshirt junior made four tackles in three games this season.
Clark committed to Florida Atlantic.
WR Jaron Glover
Glover announced on Dec. 4 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He did not catch a pass after transferring from Michigan State this season.
Glover committed to USF.
OL Jaekwon Bouldin
Bouldin announced on Dec. 4 that he’ll enter the transfer portal. The Purdue transfer only appeared in one game in 2025.
DL Terrance Hibbler Jr.
Hibbler plans to enter the transfer portal, he announced on Dec. 4. The redshirt freshman played in one game and had one tackle this season.
WR AJ Lewis Jr.
Lewis announced on Dec. 3 that he will be entering the transfer portal. The freshman wide receiver did not appear in any games and left the team midseason.
WR Cam Thompson
Thompson announced on Dec. 1 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He transferred from Northern Illinois this season and had no catches.
Thompson committed to Northern Illinois.
S Stonka Burnside
Burnside announced on Nov. 30 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He was a four-star wide receiver from Starkville in the 2024 recruiting class, but only had one reception for -6 yards as a freshman and mainly played special teams. Burnside switched to safety in 2025, but only played in the first four games as a redshirt.
Burnside committed to Memphis.
WR Jordan Mosley
Mosley announced on Nov. 30 that he’s entering the transfer portal. He was fifth on MSU in receiving in 2025 with eight receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown. Mosley transferred to MSU from Northwestern in 2022 and likely would need a waiver to play in 2026.
Mississippi State football players who’ve announced return for 2026
Players are not obligated to announce their returns for next season, but it’s become more common across college football. Here are the Mississippi State players who’ve confirmed they’ll return in 2026:
- S/LB Isaac Smith
- LB Jalen Smith
- LB Derion Gullette
- LB Zakari Tillman
- DL Trevion Williams
- CB Kelley Jones
- K Kyle Ferrie
- DL DJ Reed
- QB Kamario Taylor
- RB Fluff Bothwell
- LB Tyler Lockhart
- RB Xavier Gayten
- DL Will Whitson (pending NCAA eligibility waiver)
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: Mississippi State football transfer portal live updates for 2026 roster
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