Cowbell Corner

List of Bulldogs going into the transfer portal grows closer to 30

Three more Mississippi State football players made their intentions of leaving Starkville known, but one player announced his return next season.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Tyler Lockhart (11) tackles Mississippi Rebels running back Kewan Lacy (5) in the second half at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Tyler Lockhart (11) tackles Mississippi Rebels running back Kewan Lacy (5) in the second half at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

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Mississippi State Bulldogs

After a rough 2-10 season a year ago, roughly 30 Mississippi State players entered the transfer portal. That forced the Bulldogs into having nearly 80 percent of its 2025 roster be players with one or two years experience in Starkville.

This year, after an improved season that saw the Bulldogs go 5-7 and get a lucky bowl invitation, Mississippi State is finding itself in a similar situation.

With only a week and a half until the NCAA transfer portal opens on January 2 - the same day Mississippi State is set to face Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl - the list of players planning to enter the transfer portal is at 26.

Three more names were added to the list below, including: defensive lineman Ashun Shepphard, safety Tyler Woodard and cornerback Dwight Lewis III.

Sheppard and Woodard's decisions haven't been publicly announced (i.e., no social media posts), but Lewis did.

"This isn't how I wanted things to go, but sometimes you have to adjust the plan. When I transferred to State, it was with the understanding that I had 2 years of eligibility remaining. that belief guided every decision I made - from coming here, to how I planned my academics, my future, and my family's situation," Lewis said in a social media post. "I've recently received news of an unexpected eligibility issue tied to my earlier seasons at the NAIA level, including multiple redshirt seasons."

The latest three Bulldogs to make their transfer portal intentions known were all backups/reserve players. Shepphard played in only two games this season and recorded four tackles. Woodard also only played in two games and had five tackles.

Lewis played in all 12 games, mostly in a special teams role, and had 10 tackles, one pass breakup and a 33-yard fumble recovery.

On the flip side, a key defender announced his return to Starkville in 2026.

Freshman linebacker Tyler Lockhart posted a video on his social media to let it be known he'll be back in 2026. Lockhart was named to the freshman All-SEC team after registering 33 tackles in 11 games played.

Mississippi State Transfer Portal

Outgoing

  • WR Jordan Mosley
  • S Stonka Burnside
  • WR Cam Thompson
  • WR Anson Lewis
  • DL Terrance Hibbler
  • OL Jaekwon Bouldin
  • WR Jaron Glover
  • DL Corey Clark
  • OL Alex Lopez
  • K Marlon Hauck
  • OL Brennan Smith
  • S Tony Mitchell
  • WR Markus Allen
  • DE Joseph Head
  • LB Fatt Forrest
  • TE Max Reese
  • OL Jimothy Lewis Jr.
  • WR Ferzell Shepard
  • TE Emeka Iloh
  • S Lo'Kavion Jackson
  • TE Cam Ball
  • QB Luke Kromenhoek
  • RB Johnnie Daniels
  • S Tyler Woodard
  • CB Dwight Lewis III
  • DL Ashun Shepphard

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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