40 in 40: Why a player who didn't play in 2024 is important in 2025

An offseason goal for Mississippi State was to get bigger and add depth along the defensive line and a former Alabama player accomplishes that.

Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jamil Burroughs (98) against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

This is the second in a series counting down the 40 most important coaches, players, staff, administrators, etc. to the Mississippi State football program’s success in 2025.

It’s already been well-documented that Mississippi State’s defensive line was at a size disadvantage last season.

The difference in sizes was made apparent early in the season when Arizona State’s offensive line had an average weight nearly 20 lbs. more than the Bulldogs. And it’s a trend that continued into SEC play against teams like Florida, Texas and Tennessee.

None of that is new information and even Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby knows it was a problem that need to be addressed in the offseason.

The Bulldogs did just that, bringing in several bigger defensive linemen. Plus, some players missed significant time last season with injuries that have, hopefully, healed.

“That was a huge point of emphasis for us,” Lebby said about the new-look defensive line at SEC Media Days last week. “Again, we've talked a ton about roster and the change and  the turnover. But inside the defensive line room and at the defensive end position, 10 new bodies since January 1 have come in. And that room has added great depth, but I think we've added some real play-making ability. We've talked a ton as a group and a staff and a unit in creating negative plays, creating sacks, finding ways to create turnovers will be a huge part of our success this fall. Those are things that you can go measure every single day.”

The Bulldogs were one of the worst teams at stopping the run last season, giving up 217 yards per game. The hope is the new defensive linemen will help fix that, which makes them important for the upcoming season.

In fact, there will be several defensive linemen who will be named as one of the 40 most important Bulldogs in 2025. But we’ll start with one of the biggest additions to the unit, Jamil Burroughs.

Who is Jamil Burroughs?

Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jamil Burroughs (98) celebrates a stop with linebacker Henry To'o To'o (10) against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. | Gary Cosby-Imagn Images

The Georgia-native was a four-star recruit out of high school and signed with Alabama over other big name schools like Georgia, Michigan and Clemson. He played in 20 games for the Crimson Tide from 2020-2022 but never started a game. His best game with Alabama came in 2022 against, fittingly enough, Mississippi State. He had five tackles and a half sack. He transferred to Miami after the 2022 season, but had to sit out the 2023 season because he transferred after the portal window had closed.

What happened in 2024?

Nothing. As Burroughs said in a 247Sports story after signing with Mississippi State earlier this year, “bad decisions” at Alabama and Miami led to him working in his uncle’s warehouse. When Burroughs steps onto the field for Mississippi State, it’ll be his first in-game action in almost three years.

Why is he important to the Bulldogs in 2025?

Despite not having played a single snap the last two seasons, Burroughs is important because of his size. He’s listed at 6-foot-3, 330 lbs. on the roster which makes him the second-biggest defensive lineman (fellow transfer Jamarcus Moye is listed at 345 lbs). If the Bulldogs run a three-man defensive line again, having a big nose tackle in the middle is important because it requires more than one blocker.

Can we get a 𝘼𝙒𝙃𝙃 𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙃𝙃𝙃 🗣️@MilD4Greatness x @BraylonBurnside #HailState pic.twitter.com/MI6LpuqARq

— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) April 10, 2025

Burroughs also adds depth to the defensive line. No one lineman will play every snap of every game, which is why Lebby talked about having depth at the position. Burroughs has the size and talent (you don’t get to Tuscaloosa without it) that fits perfectly for Mississippi State.