Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby said he has no ceiling. Nick Saban, arguably the greatest college football coach of all time, said he could be “the truth.” And countless media figures have said he will dominate headlines in the near future. Needless to say, a lot of hype surrounds Kamario Taylor going into the upcoming season.
“I really do appreciate that from Coach Saban,” Taylor said. “Hopefully, I can prove that right this season.”
The 6-foot-4 sophomore Mississippi State quarterback made his SEC Media Days debut on Thursday and had the red carpet rolled out for him. The Noxubee County High School product, accompanied by Lebby, wideout Anthony Evans III, and defensive back Kelley Jones, had all eyes on him during his team’s availability in Tampa.
Taylor burst onto the scene versus Arkansas during the 2025 season after former Bulldog quarterback Blake Shapen suffered an injury. When his name was called, Taylor produced two scoring drives and helped lead the maroon and white to a comeback win. He scored three rushing touchdowns against Georgia in Starkville and made his first career start in the Egg Bowl, where he found a way to turn heads in a 38-19 loss. He gave fans a scare in a Duke’s Mayo Bowl loss, suffering an injury that initially looked nasty, but did not linger.
A dual-threat field general, Taylor logged 629 passing yards, 458 rushing yards, and 13 total touchdowns. He only threw one interception. He handled adversity with poise. He proved that he would not need training wheels for very long, and now, he looks to be a “human highlight reel” in his first campaign as the full-time starter at Mississippi State, his dream school.
“It’s a blessing. Growing up a Mississippi State fan, it’s something I always wanted to do. It was one of my dreams,” Taylor said of getting to play for the Bulldogs. “That was one of the things I wanted to check off my bucket list, and I got to do it.”
Taylor will have a supporting cast of returning wideouts including Evans, Sanfrisco Magee, and Ayden Williams, along with a versatile running back in Fluff Bothwell when the 2026-27 campaign kicks off versus Louisiana Monroe on Sept. 5. And that day, Davis Wade Stadium is expected to be filled with Bulldog fans eager to see the future of their favorite team in action.
Caleb Salers contributed to this report.
