Quentin Taylor Jr. Officially Leaves Iowa State Cyclones for SEC Team

Former Iowa State Cyclones cornerback Quentin Taylor Jr. is taking his talents to an SEC school.

Kansas Jayhawks wide receiver Levi Wentz (10) gets tackle by Iowa State Cyclones' defensive back Quentin Taylor Jr. (24) after making a catch during the first quarter in the senior day on Nov. 22, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the first Iowa State Cyclones players to announce that they would be leaving the program this offseason was cornerback Quentin Taylor Jr.

His announcement came right around the time rumors began to swirl that head coach Matt Campbell could be leaving for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Once that occurred, a wave of changes followed with the football team’s roster.

Taylor ended up being part of an unprecedented overhaul at Iowa State. More than 50 players entered the transfer portal, with a large portion of those players following Campbell to Penn State.

Thus far, 20 former Cyclones have committed to the Nittany Lions and counting. However, Taylor is not one of the players following Campbell to Happy Valley.

Quentin Taylor Jr. commits to Mississippi State

Oct 4, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; A detail view of a Mississippi State Bulldogs helmet on the sideline during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Instead, he is heading south to an SEC program. As shared by Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports on X, via Taylor’s representatives, The Business of Athletes, he has committed to the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

A highly regarded player in the transfer portal, he was the No. 40-ranked cornerback and No. 379-ranked player overall in this year’s cycle as a three-star player with an 87.93 ranking.

He will have three years of eligibility remaining after putting together a very strong redshirt freshman campaign. Not part of the team’s rotation at defensive back right out of the gate in 2025, he saw his role grow exponentially after injuries ravaged the secondary.

Taylor didn’t appear in the first game of the season against the Kansas State Wildcats or the third game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. In between those two contests, he played nine snaps against the South Dakota Coyotes.

Mississippi State has landed a commitment from Iowa State cornerback transfer Quentin Taylor, his agency @thebizofathlete tells me, @chris_hummer and @CodyNagel247.

Posted 27 tackles and a team-high five pass breakups this season as a redshirt freshman at Iowa State. pic.twitter.com/rBsAqN3DuI

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 6, 2026

However, from Week 3 against the Arkansas State Red Wolves and on, he was a key contributor. With Jeremiah Cooper and Jontez Williams suffering season-ending knee injuries, Taylor was thrust into a starting role.

He handled the change as well as anyone could have hoped, performing at a high level. 418 defensive snaps were played, and his numbers were strong, producing an overall grade of 72.3. His coverage skills are great, earning a 74.1 pass coverage grade from PFF as well.

On the season, Taylor recorded 27 total tackles, two of which went for a loss. His five passes defended were tied for the most on the team with safety Ta’Shawn James.

For someone who wasn’t expected to play that big of a role defensively, at least not that early in the season, Taylor acclimated himself incredibly well. The Bulldogs are acquiring a highly talented player to build their secondary around for the next three seasons.