Mississippi State has its quarterback for 2026 set in stone, as talented rising sophomore Kamario Taylor has already solidified his role as the leader of the program moving forward. Behind him, however, the Bulldogs had questions. The transfer of backup Luke Kromenhoek left State without a No. 2 QB. They filled that need Monday evening with the commitment of Appalachian State transfer AJ Swann.
Swann, who had stops at Vanderbilt and LSU prior to App State, is rated as an 85-overall, 3-star transfer and the No. 50 QB prospect according to 247 Sports. 2026 will be the final season of eligibility for the 6-2, 220 Canton, GA native.
| COMMITTED |
— NPGPX Design (@NathanPurvis) January 5, 2026
AJ Swann (@ajswann10), the @247Sports 3⭐️ transfer portal quarterback from Appalachian State, has committed to Mississippi State. #HailState pic.twitter.com/xjNacHwjpW
AJ Swann comes to Mississippi State with heavy SEC experience. As a true freshman at Vanderbilt in 2022, Swann appeared in nine games, throwing for 1,274 yards, 10 TDs, and two INTs while completing 58.1% of his passes. He dealt with injuries as a sophomore but started all six games he appeared in, throwing for 1,457 yards, 12 TDs, and seven INTs with a 54.6% completion rate.
In 2024, Swann transferred to LSU, where he backed-up Garrett Nussmeier. He saw action in two games and took a redshirt. Swann made the move to App State for the 2025 season. He started six of the seven games he played in before an injury suffered against James Madison ended his season. On the year, Swann completed 58.6% of his passes for 1,495 yards, 10 TDs, and eight INTs.
AJ Swann makes plenty of sense as a backup for Kamario Taylor
Mississippi State had to find a backup for Kamario Taylor, and AJ Swann checks many of the boxes they were looking for in the role. Given Taylor is a young QB, having a veteran with extensive starting experience in the room makes the most sense, as you would not want to turn to an inexperienced player if Taylor had to miss time. The fact that much of experience has come in the SEC is another check for Swann.
He knows the league. He's made starts in hostile road environments. If MSU had to turn to him for whatever reason, he's not going to be overwhelmed. In a perfect world, sure, the Bulldogs would likely prefer a player with more upside to add to the QB room. But the reality is the number of QBs willing to transfer to a program with a starter already in place for their final year of eligibility is few. A player like AJ Swann fits the profile of what was realistic for them to land, making him a solid addition.