Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor Finalizing Deal to Return in 2027
Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is finalizing a deal to return to the Bulldogs in 2027, with the contract expected to be worth at least $7 million. He is recovering from season-ending foot surgery as the team sits at 4-5.
Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is finalizing a deal to return to the Bulldogs for the 2027 season, sources said on Wednesday, November 11. The contract is expected to be worth at least $7 million.
Taylor, a sophomore, is not eligible for the NFL draft until 2028. He is projected as one of the top prospects for that draft and is in line to return for spring practice.
Injury ended a fast start
Taylor led Mississippi State to a 4-0 start this season and emerged as an early candidate for the Heisman Trophy. He was hurt in a win over Missouri on September 26 and tried to play through a turf toe injury. He later had season-ending foot surgery in late October.
The Bulldogs are 4-5 overall and 2-5 in SEC play. They have lost five straight games since Taylor was injured. They host Auburn on November 14 at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.
Taylor finished with 1,460 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns. He added 147 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown. He completed 65.4% of his passes in six games, two of them while hampered by the injury.
After four games, he was tied for the national lead in passing touchdowns and ranked third in total yards.
What Mississippi State is promising
During negotiations, the Bulldogs told Taylor and his camp they would increase investment in the roster around him. They see him as the centerpiece of a team that can reach the expanded 24-team College Football Playoff next season.
"One of the things we realized is the level of quality players who are intrigued by joining Kamario at Mississippi State," a source said.
Coach Jeff Lebby and athletic director Zac Selmon worked together on the deal, according to sources. It irked Taylor and many around the program that people assumed he would transfer after his strong start.
"They don't know me," Taylor said in September about the transfer speculation. "They don't know the type of person I am. My mom always told me that once you start something, you have to finish it."
Taylor is from nearby Macon, Mississippi, and grew up a Bulldogs fan. He is close to Lebby, who brought him along slowly as a freshman rather than starting him immediately.
Lebby addressed the talks on November 9. "We're always talking about retention," he said. "We're going to continue to talk about that huge piece of it and we're right in the middle of those things right now."
Mississippi State peaked at No. 16 in the US LBM Coaches Poll before the losing streak began. Under Taylor, the Bulldogs beat Louisiana-Monroe 62-13, Minnesota 38-13 and South Carolina 41-34 on the road. They also beat Missouri 31-24, with Taylor throwing the game-winning touchdown with 3:57 to play.
