Mississippi State football transfer portal tracker: Latest updates on Jeff Lebby's roster

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football's decision to fire Zach Arnett on Nov. 13 sparked early movement for the Bulldogs in the transfer portal.

With his dismissal, players could enter the portal before the window opened after the regular season's conclusion. Running back Simeon Price and wide receiver Jacoby Bellazar were the first to go with their announcements on Nov. 15.

Continued movement is expected after athletic director Zac Selmon hired former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby as the next MSU coach.

The Bulldogs were 5-6 under Arnett, including a 4-6 start this season. His final game was a 51-10 loss at Texas A&M. Mississippi State, under interim coach Greg Knox, finished the year 5-7 and fell short of a bowl game.

Keep up with all of Mississippi State's transfer portal movement below.

Players Mississippi State lost via the transfer portal in spring

DL Caleb Bryant

Bryant announced he was entering the transfer portal on April 4 after one season at MSU.

CB Luke Evans

Evans announced his portal entrance on April 15. He didn't appear in a game as a freshman during the 2023 season.

S Trent Singleton

Singleton announced on April 16 that he has entered the portal. He didn't appear in a game for MSU across two seasons.

P Keelan Crimmins

Crimmins entered the portal on April 16, according to multiple reports. He spent one season at MSU and averaged 40.9 yards per punt.

WR Justin Robinson

Robinson entered the portal on April 18, according to multiple reports. He spent two seasons at MSU after transferring from Georgia. He caught 51 passes and three touchdowns for the Bulldogs.

LB Khalid Moore

Moore announced on April 22 that he has entered the portal. He appeared in five games across two seasons for the Bulldogs.

QB Mike Wright

Wright announced on April 22 that he is entering the portal after one year at MSU. He threw for 453 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 324 yards and three scores with the Bulldogs.

OL Zay Alexander

Alexander entered the portal on April 23, according to a report from On3. He's an offensive lineman out of Tupelo who didn't appear in a game as a freshman in 2023.

OL Jayden Hobson

Hobson announced on April 23 that he entered his name into the portal. He spent one season at MSU and didn't appear in a game.

S Avery Sledge

Sledge announced on April 24 that he is entering the portal. He appeared in 14 games across two seaons.

DL Wilky Denaud

After a season at Auburn, Denaud announced on Jan. 8 that he is transferring to Mississippi State. He entered back into the portal on April 29, according to multiple reports, after spending the spring with the Bulldogs.

OL Jimmy Bell

Bell entered the portal on April 29, according to a report from On3. He spent the spring season with MSU football after playing for the basketball team in the 2023-24 campaign. Bell transferred to the basketball program from West Virginia.

Players Mississippi State added via the transfer portal in spring

CB DeAgo Brumfield

Brumfield committed to Mississippi State on April 20, he announced via X. He comes to MSU after one season at Memphis in which he collected 42 tackles and a forced fumble across 13 games. Prior to Memphis, he spent two seasons at Campbellsville.

RB Davon Booth

Booth committed to MSU on April 30, he announced on social media. He comes to Starkville from Utah State where he rushed for 805 yards last season − ranking eighth in the Mountain West. His 6.71 yards per attempt ranked fourth in the conference.

Players Mississippi State lost via the transfer portal in first cycle

RB Simeon Price

Price shared a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Nov. 15 reaffirming a report from On3 that he had entered the portal. He was in his third season at MSU. This year, he collected five carries for 41 yards.

WR Jacoby Bellazar

Similarly to Price, Bellazar shared a report via X from On3 on Nov. 15. He made two appearance for MSU this season after signing from Southwest Mississippi Community College. He caught one pass for 13 yards against Southeastern Louisiana in Week 1.

WR Nakai Poole

Poole was in his freshman season at MSU when he shared a post from On3 announcing his entrance into the portal on Nov. 16. He did not play in a game for the Bulldogs.

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DB Will James

James shared a post from On3 on Nov. 16 announcing he was entering the portal. He appeared in one game, against Auburn, as a freshman this year.

QB Will Rogers

Rogers posted a goodbye to MSU fans via social media on Nov. 24 after the Bulldogs lost the Egg Bowl. He officially entered the portal on Nov. 27, according to On3. Rogers ranks second all-time in SEC history with 12,315 passing yards.

TE Ryland Goede

Goede entered the portal on Nov. 29, according to multiple reports. He caught one pass in his lone season at MSU after transferring from Georgia.

OL Steven Losoya

Losoya entered the portal on Nov. 30, according to a report from On3. He appeared in 24 games with 20 starts for MSU since joining the program ahead of the 2022 season. Prior to Mississippi State, Losoya spent three seasons at Middle Tennessee.

WR Zavion Thomas

Thomas announced he was entering the transfer portal on Dec. 5. He appeared in 22 games across two seasons, collecting 42 receptions for 507 yards and a touchdown. He returned 29 punts for 365 yards and a touchdown along with 10 kick returns for 297 yards and a touchdown.

CB DeCarlos Nicholson

Nicholson announced via social media on Dec. 7 that he's entering the portal. During the 2023 season, he appeared in 12 games with seven starts. He had 42 tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass deflections in 2023.

RB Jo'Quavious Marks

Marks announced on Dec. 8 that he is entering the portal. Across four seasons, he ran for 1,883 yards in 45 games. Playing in Mike Leach's Air Raid offense for three seasons also showed Marks' ability in the passing game. He holds the MSU career record with 214 receptions.

CB Jamari Brown

After one season at MSU, Brown entered the portal on Dec. 13, according to multiple reports. He joined Mississippi State in August after transferring in from Purdue.

TE Jacarius Clayton

Clayton announced on Dec. 18 that he's entering the transfer portal. He served as a tight end in 2023. However, he was a four-star defensive lineman in the 2022 class out of Tupelo High School.

OL Percy Lewis

Lewis entered the portal on Dec. 20, according to multiple reports. He appeared in 12 games this season with seven starts at left tackle. He joined Mississippi State as a junior college product in the 2022 class. He was the nation's No. 3 junior college offensive tackle in that class.

DL Jonathan Davis

Davis entered the portal on Jan. 3, according to On3. He didn't appear in a game as a freshman in 2023, though he was considered a big signing day win for Arnett's staff. He was a three-star prospect out of Lawrence County High School in Monticello, Mississippi. His recruitment came down to MSU and Ole Miss.

Players Mississippi State added via the transfer portal in first cycle

QB Blake Shapen

Shapen, a former Baylor quarterback, announced his commitment to MSU on Dec. 8, becoming the first portal addition for Lebby. In 27 games across three seasons, Shapen threw for 5,574 yards with 36 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also ran for 184 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

DL Kedrick Bingley-Jones

Bingley-Jones announced on Dec. 13 that he's coming to Mississippi State. He spent the last four years at North Carolina, though he redshirted his freshman season (2020). Across the last three seasons, he appeared in 26 games and recorded eight tackles.

OL Ethan Miner

Miner announced his commitment on Dec. 14 after spending the 2023 season at North Texas. While with the Mean Green, Miner worked with offensive line coach Jon Cooper who recently joined Lebby's staff as tight ends coach. Prior to UNT, Miner spent three seasons at Arkansas State.

OL Makylan Pounders

Pounders announced on Dec. 16 that he is transferring from Memphis to Mississippi State. He spent the previous three seasons with the Tigers. He is from Byhalia, Mississippi, and was a three-star prospect out of Byhalia High School in the 2021 class.

CB Traveon Wright

Wright announced his commitment to Mississippi State via social media on Dec. 17 after one season at Memphis. He redshirted this year, so he has four years of eligibility remaining.

TE Justin Ball

Justin Ball announced via social media on Dec. 17 that he was transferring from Vanderbilt to Mississippi State. He spent five seasons with the Commodores where he caught 22 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown.

TE Cam Ball

Like his brother, Cam Ball announced his commitment to MSU via social media on Dec. 17. Cam Ball spent two seasons at Buffalo where he caught eight passes for 82 yards in 10 games.

DT Sulaiman Kpaka

After five seasons at Purdue, Kpaka entered the transfer portal and announced via social media on Dec. 17 that he's committed to Mississippi State. He recorded 30 tackles, four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 26 games with the Boilermakers.

OL Marlon Martinez

Martinez announced on Dec. 19 that he's transferring from LSU to Mississippi State. In four seasons with the Tigers, he appeared in 45 games and earned four starts.

WR Kelly Akharaiyi

Akharaiyi announced on Dec. 19 that he's transferring from UTEP to Mississippi State. In 2023, he was one of 23 players in the country with more than 1,000 receiving yards. He caught 48 passes for 1,033 yards and seven touchdowns this season. His 21.5 yards per catch ranked fifth in the country.

P Zach Haynes

Haynes announced on Dec. 29 that he's transferring from New Mexico to Mississippi State. He averaged 40.9 yards per punt in 2023.

WR Kevin Coleman

Coleman announced on Jan. 4 that he is transferring from Louisville to Mississippi State. As a sophomore in 2023, he caught 26 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns.

LB Stone Blanton

Blanton announced on Jan. 5 that he is transferring from South Carolina to MSU. He is from Jackson where he attended Madison-Ridgeland Academy and was once a baseball commit for Mississippi State. He had 52 tackles in 12 starts for the Gamecocks in 2023.

OT Jacoby Jackson

Jackson announced on Jan. 9 that he is transferring from Texas Tech to Mississippi State. He appeared in 13 games last season for the Red Raiders.

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State football transfer portal updates on Jeff Lebby's roster