Where Could Mississippi State WR Rara Thomas Land Next?
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Mississippi State's leading wide receiver, Rara Thomas, announced earlier this week that he was entering the NCAA transfer portal.
This is a significant loss for the Bulldogs wide receiving corps, which has had its struggles throughout the 2022 season. Thomas finished the year with 44 receptions for 626 yards and seven touchdowns.
Over the first two seasons of his college career, he totals 62 catches for 878 yards (average of 14 yards per reception) with 12 touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder brings a lot to the table for a team and projects as a player who could give teams problems physically lined up outside.
Here's a look into three potential landing spots for the wideout:
1. Alabama.
The Crimson Tide have been uncharacteristically poor at receiver this season for the standard of the type of pass-catchers the program usually produces. That's been somewhat problematic for quarterback Bryce Young, who deserves the credit for a lot of the offense's success.
That won't be his issue any longer in the very near future, with Young projected as highly as the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Alabama's leading receiver in 2022 was sophomore Ja’Corey Brooks, who tallied 37 receptions for 623 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
He needs someone to complement him, though, and Thomas projects as a good fit. Thomas would be homebound if he made his way over to Tuscaloosa, originally from Eufala, Alabama.
2. Auburn.
It's the dawn of a new era over Jordan-Hare Stadium with the firing of Bryan Harsin and the introduction of former Liberty and Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze. There has already been a lot of changes not only to the coaching staff, but to what the team's roster looks like with multiple players set to transfer out.
Auburn will have needs across several positions as the team aims to rebuild, and Thomas could be a solid acquisition at wideout. Running back Tank Bigsby was the biggest piece of the Tigers' offense in 2022 as his 2023 NFL Draft decision looms near.
3. Ole Miss.
There's no question that Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin is active in the transfer portal and has had perhaps more success than anyone in the nation when it comes to recruiting in that area. Ole Miss largely leaned into its run game in 2022, finishing out the season with the best rushing attack in the Southeastern Conference and the third-best in the nation, second only to Army West Point and Air Force.
But as quarterback Jaxson Dart continues to develop and with the passing game proving it could be potent at points like the 448-yard game Dart had against Vanderbilt, it would not be unsurprising to see the Rebels do more on the pass in the future. After all, they did do quite well with that "score from far" offense that now-pro signal-caller Matt Corral was at the helm of.
One of the team's best receivers, Jonathan Mingo, is expected to be an NFL Draft pick after a successful season. Outside of that, the Rebels still have some developing to do and struck gold in the portal last offseason with the acquisition of former Mississippi State wide receiver Malik Heath.
Could they take another from the Bulldogs? It will be something to watch, and Kiffin did throw Thomas' transfer portal announcement a retweet...
