Jaden Rashada is on the move once again - and this time, he’s headed back to the SEC. Mississippi State announced Thursday that the well-traveled quarterback has signed with the Bulldogs out of the transfer portal, marking another chapter in what’s already been one of the more winding college football journeys in recent memory.
Now 22, Rashada brings two years of eligibility with him to Starkville. His most recent stop was Sacramento State, where he saw limited action last season. Over six games, he completed 17 of 42 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown - numbers that don’t jump off the page but also don’t tell the full story of a player who’s still trying to find stability and a consistent opportunity under center.
Rashada’s path to this point has been anything but conventional. Coming out of high school, he was a highly touted recruit who originally committed to Miami before pivoting and signing a letter of intent with Florida.
That move, however, never materialized into playing time. Instead, it led to a high-profile legal battle - Rashada filed a lawsuit against then-Gators head coach Billy Napier and a major program booster over a failed NIL deal reportedly worth nearly $14 million.
The deal fell apart, and so did his time in Gainesville.
From there, Rashada landed at Arizona State, where he started three games as a true freshman in 2023. He showed flashes of promise before a knee injury cut his season short.
It was a tough break for a young quarterback trying to get his footing, and it led to another move - this time to Georgia. But his time in Athens was quiet; he didn’t see the field for the Bulldogs and soon found himself back in the portal.
Sacramento State offered a chance to reset, but limited playing time there meant the search for the right fit continued. Now, Mississippi State is betting on Rashada’s upside.
And make no mistake - the talent is there. He’s got a live arm, mobility, and experience navigating multiple offensive systems.
What he hasn’t had is continuity, and that’s something the Bulldogs coaching staff will hope to provide.
For Mississippi State, this is a low-risk, high-upside addition at a position that always demands depth and competition. Rashada arrives with valuable reps under his belt, and perhaps more importantly, a hunger to prove he still belongs on the Power Five stage.
As for Rashada, this move represents more than just another transfer - it’s an opportunity to finally settle in, compete, and show the potential that made him such a coveted recruit in the first place. The road’s been bumpy, no doubt. But if he can stay healthy and get the right support in Starkville, there’s still time for Rashada to write a different ending to his college football story.