Mississippi State adds former highly-touted defensive lineman out of transfer portal

There is no bigger need for Mississippi State football out of the transfer portal than defensive line. The Bulldogs had what was undoubtedly the worst D-Line in the SEC in 2024, and it's the biggest reason why their defense was so putrid. State needs to do major work in the transfer portal to address their issues along the defensive front, and they've now made their first move in that department.

Former Miami and Alabama defensive lineman Jamil Burroughs commits to Mississippi State out of the transfer portal

Robbie Faulk of On3's Maroon and White Daily reported that news that transfer defensive tackle Jamil Burroughs had committed to Mississippi State. Burroughs played previously at Alabama and Miami.

A 4-star recruit out of high school from Powder Springs, GA, Jamil Burroughs signed with Alabama in the class of 2020. In three years in Tuscaloosa, the 6-3, 310 defensive tackle played in 20 games, totaling 15 tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, and two QB hurries.

Ahead of the 2023 season, Burroughs transferred out of Alabama following a reported altercation with a staffer. He chose Miami, but he missed the portal window which forced him to sit out that year. Then in January of 2024, it was reported that Burroughs was no longer a part of the Miami program.

Burroughs' past is shaky, but the Bulldogs need all the quality transfer portal defensive linemen they can get

Jamil Burroughs' past is a bit worrisome. Any time a player has to leave a program following an incident with the staff and then is gone from his next program just seven months later, there are going to be some concerns about whether or not he's the right player to add to the locker room.

With that being said, State isn't exactly in position to be overly-selective when it comes to addressing their needs along the defensive line. The Bulldogs just about have to add a new two-deep of D-Lineman after fielding a unit that was no where close to being SEC caliber both in terms of talent and depth in 2024.

And while Burroughs was never a starter at Alabama and hasn't played the last two seasons, he's considered to be an incredibly talented pass rusher. Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker, a potential first round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, has regarded Burroughs as "one of the best pass rushers in the nation."

If State does not get better up front on defense, they aren't going to see considerable improvements on defense. There are some things about Jamil Burroughs' career that give you pause, but there's also good reason to believe he can provide a significant boost up front.