Offensive lineman Malik Ellis will enter the NCAA transfer portal
Malik Ellis plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal. The rising junior from Laurel, Mississippi, where he played in high school, has a notable connection to Charles Cross, a former Bulldog who was picked in the first round of the NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Ellis received an 86 grade from 247Sports during his high school career, earning him a three-star rating.
At 6’5″ and 285 pounds, he had offers from multiple schools, including Mississippi State, Utah, Memphis, Kansas, Austin Peay, Alcorn State, Houston, Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Auburn, Oregon, and Missouri. He ultimately chose to commit to the Bulldogs, the first team to offer him, on April 2, 2022. During his freshman year under former State head coach Zach Arnett, he saw some playing time but switched to tight end to help address depth issues at that position. He played in 11 games, starting against Southeastern Louisiana, Alabama, and Western Michigan.
After the season, Mississippi State hired Jeff Lebby as their new head coach, and Ellis returned to the offensive line. However, he had limited opportunities this past year, participating in just one game with only six snaps, which resulted in a redshirt year. Coach Lebby has openly discussed the urgency of acquiring offensive linemen during the spring transfer portal period.
Last winter, 26 players from Mississippi State’s 2024 roster entered the transfer portal, with 23 finding new programs for the spring or summer, including three offensive linemen, such as starter Makylan Pounders.
Lebby’s staff signed four transfer linemen in December and January who participated in spring practices, alongside three high school recruits and three junior college transfers.
This year’s spring transfer window for fall sports runs from April 16 to 22, shorter than last year’s two-week period. Notably, this window coincides with the recent spring game held at Scott Field, marking the end of Lebby’s second spring camp. Mississippi State already has one committed lineman for the 2026 signing class.
Ellis and Jesse Ramil are among the Bulldog offensive linemen exploring the transfer portal since it reopened. New offensive line coach Phil Loadholt, who previously held the same position at Colorado, did not sign any transfers during the winter window but hosted official visitors over the weekend, with plans to continue this recruiting effort. Lebby and Loadholt are determined to bolster the offensive line to meet SEC competition standards.
Leave a Reply