Wide receiver Kelly Akharaiyi was an impact transfer for Mississippi State football this past season, becoming one of the top targets in the Bulldog offense. It seemed he would be "one and done" in Starkville though as 2024 was initially his final year of eligibility.
Earlier this week, however, a door opened that seemingly would allow Akharaiyi the opportunity to return to Starkville for one more year. The NCAA announced they would grant waivers to student athletes who had spent time at the non-NCAA level, primarily junior college, and had their eligibility end in the 2024-2025 athletic year to compete for an extra season.
For Kelly Akharaiyi, who began his college career in the JUCO ranks, it looked like he was now eligible to play the 2025 season with Mississippi State. That left Akharaiyi with a decision to make, or so we thought...
Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kelly Akharaiyi declares for 2025 NFL Draft
As it turns out, the waiver being offered by the NCAA did not apply to Akharaiyi. The NCAA clarified that athletes who played college ball, NCAA level or not, in 2020 were not eligible for the waiver. That is when Akharaiyi began playing college football, meaning he would not be granted an extra year. So on Friday, Kelly Akharaiyi officially announced that he was declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. The senior caught 25 passes for 391 yards and two TDs in his lone season with the Bulldogs.
“DREAM CHASER” pic.twitter.com/53Ks12kiQB
— rocket man (@OGAKELS) December 27, 2024
Akharaiyi transferred to Mississippi State ahead of the 2024 season. He spent the prior two seasons at UTEP. In 2023, he led the Miners with 48 catches for 1033 yards and seven touchdowns, proving to be one of the best deep threats in the country.
Had Akharaiyi been granted an extra year of eligibility, he almost certainly would have been State's #1 target in 2025. But instead, he has no choice but to test the NFL waters. Akharaiyi will look to be the first Bulldog wide receiver taken in the NFL Draft since Eric Moulds went in the 1st round of the 1996 draft to kickstart an outstanding professional career.
With Akharaiyi off the NFL, it again becomes critical that Mississippi State find (at least) one more impact transfer at the wide receiver position. Only four WRs saw regular snaps in 2024, and three of them are gone. State has added a pair of transfers, but they ideally need to find a more proven option to step in and help replace their lost production.