Mississippi State football needs a bevy of players to step up in 2025 in order for the program to improve upon last year's disastrous 2-10 campaign. There are quite a few guys they're counting on to have breakout years to lead the turnaround.
But there are also a few players that State isn't necessarily counting on that could still prove monumental to the Bulldogs having a successful year. These are players who won't make-or-break the season (as in, they could be non-factors and MSU still be much improved), but if they do have breakout years, it could raise MSU's ceiling substantially.
If these three Bulldogs have big seasons this fall, you can expect an impressive turnaround for State...
Offensive Tackle Jimothy Lewis Jr.
For Mississippi State to take a major step forward offensively in 2025, it'll need much better play from its offensive line. State added several transfers to bring more talent into the room and add depth, and nearly every job up front is up for grabs.
No one is the room is more talented than tackle Jimothy Lewis. The 6-6, 320 lb former 4-star redshirted as a true freshman last year, needing some development before becoming a contributor, but many believe he's got the skillset to be a stud protector in the SEC. It may still be too early to rely on him, but if he shows in camp that he's tapped into his potential and can nab a starting job, that'd be a great sign for the O-Line improving.
Defensive Tackle Trevion Williams
On the other side of the line of scrimmage, it's the same story. The MSU defensive line was terrible in 2024, and they've gone portal heavy to rebuild that room. Most likely, the Bulldogs' biggest contributors on the D-Line this fall will be newcomers. But there is a returnee State fans are desperate to breakout.
Defensive tackle Trevion Williams was a 4-star in the Class of 2022. He redshirted his first year and suffered a season-ending injury just three games into 2023. Last year was his first real chance to flash his talent, but he made a minimal impact with 33 tackles, just 2.0 TFL, and 0.5 a sack.
Given the coaching changes he's gone through along with a serious injury, it's possible Williams simply needs more time to reach his potential. But this is the make-or-break season for him. If he can finally breakout, it'd be huge for the State defense. Nothing on defense is more impactful than a game-wrecking defensive tackle. If Trevion Williams can finally be that guy, you could see a major leap defensively in Starkville.
Cornerback Dwight Lewis III
If there's one position State seemingly didn't address properly in the offseason, it's cornerback. They lost a solid No. 1 option in Brice Pollock to the portal and never landed a clear replacement. Now the Bulldogs go into the preseason with serious questions as to who starts outside and whether or not those starters can play at an adequate level.
A possible answer may come from the NAIA ranks of all places. Transfer Dwight Lewis III, formerly of Marian University, caught the eyes of several power conference teams after entering the portal. He's got good size at 6-1, 195 and picked off seven passes over the last two years. Can that production translate to the SEC? It'd certainly be ideal for MSU is it does. If Lewis III makes a smooth transition and becomes a quality starter, that'd be huge for the Bulldog secondary.