After such a terrible 2024 season defensively, there was no question that Mississippi State football was going to heavily pursue defensive talent through the transfer portal. They've added a ton of new faces to that side of the ball for 2025, the majority of whom have a chance to be impact players right away. These three newcomers in particular look poised to have big seasons...
Defensive Tackle Will Whitson
Mississippi State desperately needs better play from its defensive front, and one reason to believe they'll get that is the addition of Will Whitson. The Coastal Carolina transfer was the Bulldogs' top defensive line pickup of the offseason, and he's got the ability to be a true difference maker. In 17 games for the Chanticleers, Whitson posted 63 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks. That's good production for a defensive tackle, and adding someone who's proven they can be an impact player is a huge boost for the defense. He can stand out amongst the defensive line group.
Linebacker Jalen Smith
There's some nice talent in the Mississippi State linebacker room, and one player who's set to lead the way there is Tennessee transfer Jalen Smith. Smith was a regular part of the rotation for an outstanding Volunteer defense last season, posting 34 tackles. He's battling for a starting role in Starkville, where he's easily one of the more talented linebackers on the roster. While running-mate Zakari Tillman plays the role of "havoc maker", Jalen Smith is likely to be a tackling machine in the middle of the field alongside hybrid safety Isaac Smith.
Safety Jahron Manning
A good bet in the transfer portal is to go after players who put up monster numbers at a lower level. That's exactly what Mississippi State did when they added safety Jahron Manning from Old Dominion. Last season with the Monarchs, Manning totaled 85 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three passes broken up, and three interceptions. That's great production, and now he brings that production to Starkville. The Bulldogs have a really strong group of safeties, but Manning is too good to not see serious playing time, and he should prove to be an excellent sidekick to Isaac Smith on the backend of the defense.