Mississippi State misses on top Transfer Portal target, loses battle to SEC rival

Mississippi State football was in desperate need of offensive line upgrades in this year's Transfer Portal, and the Bulldogs managed to get in the game with an elite player at the position, former Colorado left tackle Jordan Seaton. Unfortunately for State, they weren't able to close the deal. On Friday night, news broke that Seaton had committed to SEC rival LSU.

A former 5-star and likely first round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, Jordan Seaton is a premier talent at LT. Saturday Blitz ranks him as the No. 2 offensive lineman in the 2026 Transfer Portal. He, naturally, attracted several high-level programs, with Miami and Oregon being other teams in the mix to land him.

But Mississippi State also got themselves firmly in the mix for Seaton. OL coach Phil Loadholt was Seaton's position coach at Colorado in 2024, giving the Bulldogs a direct connection. That connection allowed MSU to be the first program he visited after hitting the Portal. That visit went well enough for MSU to receive serious consideration.

Ultimately though, beating out LSU and the "Portal King" himself, Lane Kiffin, was always going to be a major challenge. The Tigers have the nation's top-ranked transfer class and are assembling a roster capable of championship contention (along with spending top dollar for that talent). It's hard to turn down joining that team, and Seaton didn't.

But don't think Mississippi State didn't do all they could to land Seaton. Jeff Lebby, Phil Loadholt, and the entire operation in Starkville put forth an all-out effort to recruit the elite LT. That includes having the ability and willingness to spend whatever it would have taken to bring him in. Seaton simply felt better about LSU in the end. State will go up against him head-to-head when the Bulldogs travel to Baton Rouge October 17.

Where does Mississippi State turn after missing on Jordan Seaton?

With Seaton headed Baton Rouge, State still has not landed a truly high-profile commitment along the offensive line, somewhat concerning given their need at the position. However, they have not gone without bringing in good contributors.

LSU transfer center DJ Chester, UAB transfer tackle Brandon Sneh, and North Carolina transfer tackle Miles McVay are all players with extensive playing experience who should prove to be solid additions for the Bulldogs. Sneh in particular seems likely to take over at left tackle in Starkville now that it's known Seaton won't be there. There's some optimism about Arkansas transfer guard LJ Prudhomme's potential to make an impact as well.

With that group plus veterans Canon Boone and Blake Steen returning, State could still improve up front. Ideally though, they'd still like to land another contributing transfer in this cycle, but to say that impact transfer lineman are scarce at this point would be putting it lightly. Expect Mississippi State to stay on the hunt for another option, but there's a chance the OL room is set.