Cowbell Corner

2026 prospects decommit from Mississippi State amid eligibility, portal changes

As new NIL and eligibility rules loom, Mississippi State adjusts its roster, leading to decommitments and recruiting uncertainty.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby looks on against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby looks on against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

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Mississippi State Bulldogs

There are big changes coming to college football.

Some of those changes have already happened, like the elimination of a spring portal, moving the winter portal to the start of January and shorten the window to 15 days.

Other changes, like eligibility rules and maybe even the passage of some kind of legislation to govern new NIL, revenue sharing landscape are expected in the near future.

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Schools are already taking steps to prepare for some of those changes, especially in regard to players who might gain another, unexpected year of eligibility next season.

That means there’ll be fewer roster spots for high school recruits and teams are already pulling scholarship offers, including Mississippi State.

Two players committed to Mississippi State as part of the 2026 recruiting class announced their decommitment to the Bulldogs on Monday. D’lberville linebacker Caleb Triplett and Pascagoula safety Tomareo Johnson announced they had reopened their commitments.

On Tuesday, OLB Maurice Jones Jr., a three-star recruit from Orlando, Fla., announced his decommitment from Mississippi State on social media.

Three-star offensive lineman Charles Humphrey Jr. also announced his decommitment from Mississippi State on Tuesday, which is the fourth decommitment in two days.

In a story by 247Sports’ Steve Robertson, Triplett said, “It was pulled because all of a sudden redshirts and rules and transfer portal situations.”

Johnson made his announcement on social media and said, “First, I want to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to play the game I love. I also want to thank the Mississippi State coaching staff for believing in me and giving me a chance to be a part of their program.

“To the fans and Bulldog community, thank you all for the love and support you've shown me through my recruiting. After talking with my family and praying about it, I've decided to decommit from Mississippi State University and reopen my recruitment.

“This was not an easy decision, and I have nothing but respect for the coaches, players and program at Mississippi State. I'm excited to see what the future holds and will continue to look for the best fit for me on and off the field. Thank you for understanding.”

It’s a not-so-great thing for the players losing offers roughly two months before the December signing period starts. And there’ll be more players decommitting from Mississippi State and other schools in the coming days, weeks and month.

It should also be noted that Robertson is reporting that Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby is making these phone calls himself, which is exactly what you want in a leader.

So, enjoy the bye week folks, because its going to be an eventful couple of months.

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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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