STARKVILLE — Jeremey Chappelle is no longer a member of the Mississippi State football program.
MSU football spokesperson Bill Martin confirmed to The Dispatch that Chappelle, who was entering his senior season this fall, has left the MSU team. The wide receiver had posted a message on Facebook saying he was leaving the program.
Chappelle transferred in 2012 from Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. He chose MSU over offers from West Virginia, Houston, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Hawaii, and Southern Mississippi, among others. Last season, he only had four receptions for 45 yards. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound receiver was a three-star recruit out of junior college by former MSU offensive coordinator Les Koenning. Chappelle caught eight passes for 114 yards in the 2013 Maroon-White spring game, but he didn’t receive significant playing time in the fall.
Chappelle didn’t catch a pass in the spring game last month.
With all the returning players for MSU at wide receiver, he wasn’t expected to challenge for playing time in his final season.
Four MSU players sign undrafted free agent contracts
Four former MSU players signed free agent contracts hours after not being selected in the 2014 NFL draft.
Tailback LaDarius Perkins, defensive end Denico Autry, linebacker Deontae Skinner, and safety Nickoe Whitley will attend NFL training camps this summer. Perkins and Autry signed with the Green Bay Packers, while Skinner joined the New England Patriots and Nickoe Whitley agreed to a contract with the Cleveland Browns.
Perkins finished second behind quarterback Dak Prescott with 542 rushing yards last season. The highlight to his college career was the 2010 Egg Bowl game at Ole Miss when he led the Bulldogs to victory with 319 all-purpose yards, which at the time was the second most productive game in school history.
Autry will join Perkins in Green Bay after he spent two years at East Mississippi Community College and two years starting at MSU. The 265-pound pass rusher earned first-team NJCAA All-America honors in 2011 season at EMCC after he had 11 sacks and 41 quarterback hurries to lead the Lions to the NJCAA National Championship.
After playing most of his senior season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Whitley leaves MSU with 15 interceptions. When his collegiate career ended, no active Football Bowl Subdivision player had more interceptions.
Skinner was the final MSU player to sign a contract. The former Noxubee County High School standout was a three-year starter with the Bulldogs. Last season, he played in 11 games and finished with 64 tackles.
Follow Matt Stevens on Twitter @matthewcstevens.
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