With the 2025 regular season in the rearview mirror, postseason honors have been awarded for the SEC, and three Mississippi State Bulldogs were recognized for strong seasons.
Wide Receiver Brenen Thompson lands on AP and Coaches All-SEC teams
Bulldog wideout Brenen Thompson was named an All-SEC selection by both the league coaches and AP voters. He earned 2nd Team honors by the AP and 3rd Team honors by the coaches. The Oklahoma-transfer blossomed in Starkville, finishing the regular season with 53 catches for 948 yards and six TDs. He's tied for second in the league in receiving yardage, posting the fifth-most yards in a single season in Mississippi State history. A big play threat, Thompson led the SEC with nine catches of 40+ yards. His 17.9 yards per reception were the best of any SEC receiver with more than 30 catches.
Cornerback Kelley Jones named All-SEC by league coaches
A breakout star for Mississippi State in 2025, cornerback Kelley Jones emerged as one of the SEC's best and was named 3rd Team All-SEC by the league's coaches. Jones recorded 30 tackles, 11 passes broken up, and two interceptions. His 13 total passes defended was tied for the most in the SEC. He regularly locked-down his side of the field, having several games in which opposing QBs would simply not throw his way. He finished the regular season with a catch-rate allowed of just 28.9%, the best in the SEC. At 6-4, 195 with legitimate 4.4 40 speed, the physical tools were always there for Jones to be elite, and he put it all together in 2025.
Linebacker Tyler Lockhart named to SEC All-Freshman team
A young star could be emerging on the Bulldog defense. Freshman linebacker Tyler Lockhart put together a strong debut season in Starkville, and for that, he landed on the SEC All-Freshman team. Lockhart tallied 33 tackles and a pair of QB hurries. Strong performances against Tennessee and Texas A&M showed he was ready to be a real contributor for State. A 4-star signee in the 2025 class, the expectation was for Lockhart to develop into a big-time player on the defense, and his freshman campaign suggests that could be in store.