Mississippi State CB Decamerion Richardson enters name in transfer portal
Here is the latest Mississippi State football player to enter the transfer portal
STARKVILLE — Another major contributor from the Mississippi State football team has entered the transfer portal.
Decamerion Richardson, a starting cornerback for the Bulldogs, and potential NFL Draft prospect this spring, became the latest Mississippi State player to enter the portal Wednesday morning, according to 247sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Richardson is the biggest departure on the defensive side of the ball so far for Mississippi State, who has lost three other secondary members to the portal in Will James, Corey Ellington and Decamerion Richardson. The Bulldogs have also lost starting quarterback Will Rogers, offensive lineman Steven Losoya (who committed to Vanderbilt), wideouts Nakai Poole, Jacoby Bellazar and Zavion Thomas, running backs Simeon Price and Jo’Quavious Marks and tight end Ryland Goede.
New Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby has also added two players from the portal in former Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen and North Carolina defensive lineman Kedrick Bingley-Jones.
Richardson, from Cullen, Louisiana, played in 45 games over his four-year Mississippi State career, making 26 starts. He has recorded 177 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, 10 pass deflections and a fumble recover. He never tallied an interception with the Bulldogs. If Richardson chooses to take his name out of the portal and return to Mississippi State, or go to a different program, he would have one season of eligibility remaining.
With Richardson’s departure, Mississippi State is currently slated to return just one starting player from this past season’s defensive back group, in true freshman cornerback Brice Pollack. Along with the transfer portal departure, Mississippi State also lost starting safeties Marcus Banks and Shawn Preston Jr., who are both out of eligibility.
Mississippi State players had a 30-day period to enter the portal before the fall transfer portal window opened following the firing of Zach Arnett, who only coached 11 games in with the Bulldogs. The fall window officially opened following conference championship weekend on Dec. 4.
Mississippi State named Lebby, who spent the past two seasons as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator, as the 36th head coach in program history shortly after the Bulldogs’ 17-7 Egg Bowl loss to Ole Miss. Lebby mentioned during his introduction press conference the need for his incoming staff to utilize the portal to fill next year’s roster gaps.
Mississippi State is currently slated to open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 at Davis Wade Stadium against Eastern Kentucky. Mississippi State’s full schedule, with dates, will be announced Wednesday night on ESPN and SEC Network at 6 p.m.
