Mississippi State football news: Bulldogs land ex-West Virginia defensive lineman

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Mississippi State football reportedly signed former West Virginia defensive lineman Eddie Kelly Jr. on Tuesday, adding a veteran before the Bulldogs’ 2026 season kicks off. His eligibility remains unresolved.

Kelly is listed at 6-foot-5 and 288 pounds. He played 12 games for the Mountaineers in 2025, making four starts and recording 26 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, and three pass breakups.

Kelly began at South Florida before stopping at Georgia Tech, Missouri, and West Virginia. Mississippi State would be his fifth program in five seasons. He has a total of 103 tackles in 49 games.

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CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported the signing Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter, while crediting colleague Chris Hummer.

“Mississippi State has signed former West Virginia defensive lineman Eddie Kelly, @chris_hummer and I have learned.

Posted 26 tackles last season at WVU.”

The 22-year-old defensive lineman would join a Bulldogs defensive front that added Dealyn Evans, Amaree Williams, Jayson Jenkins, and Gus Cordova over the offseason. Mississippi State opens the season on Saturday, September 5, 2026, against Louisiana Monroe at Davis Wade Stadium, giving Kelly little preparation time if cleared.

Kelly exhausted four seasons without using a redshirt and has pursued a fifth year through the courts. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paused a federal order Friday that would have granted thousands of athletes from the 2022 high school class another season.

Mississippi State had not announced Kelly’s addition or listed him on its roster as of late Tuesday. The reported signing, therefore, does not confirm that he can compete immediately.

If cleared, Kelly would provide rotational depth for the Bulldogs after playing in the SEC, ACC, and Big 12. His production and familiarity with multiple defensive systems could help Mississippi State reinforce its front as Jeff Lebby enters his third season.

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