Mississippi State’s transfer exodus is producing a little bit of everything in 2026: starting jobs, splash plays, steady production and a few players still trying to carve out a bigger slice of the offense.
The most prominent example is Jayvin James, who left Starkville for Alabama after a strong lone season with the Bulldogs. In 2025, James started nine games at left tackle and played in 12 overall, piling up 856 snaps while allowing just three sacks. That work helped open the door to a new role with the Crimson Tide, where he began the 2026 season as the starting right tackle.
He’s already logged six games for Alabama and has been a dependable piece up front. James played every offensive snap against Florida State and Georgia, then was on the field for 62 of 63 snaps against Tennessee, where he finished with a team-high five knockdowns.
Another former Bulldog making life easier for Alabama’s offense is Kedrick Bingley-Jones. After two seasons at Mississippi State, the defensive lineman has become part of the rotation in Tuscaloosa and has appeared in seven games. He’s put up 20 tackles, half a sack, one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry so far this season.
Bingley-Jones also had a noticeable day when Alabama came back to Starkville on October 3. Against his former team, he made four tackles and collected half a sack. He has also shown up in games against Georgia and Tennessee, continuing to work along the defensive front.
Elsewhere, Mississippi State’s former players are finding more room to operate on offense. Stonka Burnside has flashed at Memphis, highlighted by a 151-yard outing against Tulane on October 16 that included a 76-yard catch. Burnside spent his first two seasons at Mississippi State in a developmental role, even moving to safety at one point, but now he’s getting chances to show what he can do as a receiver.
Johnnie Daniels has done something similar at Tulane. Over two seasons at Mississippi State, he rushed for 584 yards and four touchdowns, with his best stretch coming in 2024 when he totaled 540 yards on 108 carries. This fall, he turned in another eye-catching performance by rushing for 104 yards against UTSA on October 24, including an 81-yard run.
Cam Thompson is also trying to force his way into a bigger role after leaving Mississippi State. He appeared in three games for the Bulldogs in 2025 before transferring to Northern Illinois, where he has already given the Huskies a glimpse of his playmaking potential. Against Arizona on September 19, Thompson had 62 receiving yards and a touchdown, and his 52-yard catch stood out as the kind of big play he can bring.
Taken together, the early returns on these departures have been uneven but revealing. James and Bingley-Jones have landed meaningful roles at Alabama, while Burnside and Daniels have produced encouraging offensive moments at Memphis and Tulane. Thompson, meanwhile, is still working toward more consistent snaps at Northern Illinois.
For Jeff Lebby and Mississippi State, the pattern is a reminder of how much roster construction and player evaluation matter in the transfer portal era. As the season goes on, these former Bulldogs will keep offering a measuring stick for what the program lost - and what others gained.
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Mississippi State Is Already Zeroing In On Young Arkansas Playmakers
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Hancock is the kind of athlete teams like to track early because of his speed and versatility, while Leautu brings the type of size and blocking ability that can matter in the trenches and in the passing game. Brown adds another layer as a multi-use player for his high school team, contributing on both offense and defense, which makes him the sort of prospect Mississippi State will want to keep seeing as his recruitment develops. [Read more 🡒]