The Dispatch continues its overview of MSU football roster with a look at the linebacker room.
The unit features several returners from a year ago as well as new faces, and with the starters and role players confirmed by the Week One depth chart, there is a clearer picture of who will contribute this season.
Starters
Branden Jennings
6-3, 240 pounds
Redshirt senior from Jacksonville, Florida
Jennings arrived at MSU in 2024 after stints at Maryland, UCF and Hinds. He started 11 of 12 games in 2024, recording 56 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Jennings will feature heavily on the edge as the Bulldogs look to dial up the pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Bulldogs were second-worst in FBS with just 10 sacks all season, and the group is determined to improve on that this year with added reinforcements.
Malick Sylla
6-6, 255 pounds
Senior from Katy, Texas
The former Aggie transferred in after three years in College Station, starting just one of 33 career games.
Sylla, like many transfers on offense, hasn’t had much production to show for his talent so far in his college career, but he has the opportunity to make up for it with the Bulldogs after being named a starter alongside Jennings as a pass rusher.
Zakari Tillman
6-2, 235 pounds
Junior from Florence, Mississippi
Returning for his third year with the Bulldogs, Tillman was a big contributor for the Bulldogs with 3.5 of the team’s 10 sacks a year ago. His sophomore campaign featured just one start, but he made an impact off the bench with 30 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. His playing time grew as the year went on, and expectations are high for the preseason All-SEC Fourth Team selection.
Derion Gullette
6-3, 240 pounds
Redshirt sophomore from Marlin, Texas
Gullette arrives from Texas without much production, but has plenty of potential. He was a highly touted recruit out of high school before joining the Longhorns, and now is listed as a starter alongside Tillman in the Dimebacker role.
Nic Mitchell
6-2, 230 pounds
Redshirt senior from Jacksonville, Florida
Mitchell returns after starting all 12 games in 2024, recording 80 tackles from his position in the middle of the field. He will have a lot of responsibility as one of the senior leaders on the defense, and will feature heavily in run defense.
Roleplayers
Tyler Lockhart
6-2, 225 pounds
Freshman from Kilmichael, Mississippi
A highly touted four-star recruit out of Winona, Lockhart pulled a remarkable flip-flop on early signing day, first committing to Ole Miss and then flipping and signing with MSU late in the evening. Listed behind starters Tillman and Gullette for now, Lockhart still has a chance to earn some playing time and become a contributor.
Jalen Smith
6-2, 230 pounds
Redshirt sophomore from Grayson, Georgia
The Tennessee transfer arrives with high hopes for bolstering the run defense. Smith was named to the 2025 Butkus Award preseason watchlist after recording 38 tackles off the bench for the Vols in 2024. Expect to see him alongside Mitchell policing the middle of the field.
Backups
Nevaeh Sanders
6-4, 230 pounds
Graduate senior from Flint, Michigan
The fifth year player transferred in from NIU after a big season for the Huskies. He is competing for a pass-rusher role behind Jennings and Sylla.
Sanders may get a shot at facing his old team when NIU comes to town on Sept. 20.
LaKendrick James
6-2, 250 pounds
Junior from Shelby, Mississippi
Transferring in after a successful career at Copiah-Lincoln, James is competing for a pass-rusher role alongside Sanders.
Montrell Chapman
6-3, 230 pounds
Junior from Batesville, Mississippi
A transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Chapman is looking for playing time behind Tillman and Gullette in the Dime role.
Fatt Forrest
6-2, 235 pounds
Redshirt freshman from Kilmichael, Mississippi
A high school teammate of the Lockhart brothers, Forrest has a chance to earn more playing time this season, working to earn a spot playing in the middle alongside Mitchell and Smith.
Freshmen
AJ Rice
6-1, 240 pounds
Freshman from Huntsville, Alabama
Tyshun Willis
6-2, 250 pounds
Freshman from Camden, Mississippi
Turner Reeves
6-0, 200 pounds
Freshman from Flora, Mississippi
Ja’Bryis Stewart
6-1, 215 pounds
Junior from Crystal Springs, Mississippi
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
