STARKVILLE — The Dispatch is continuing its position previews with a look at the tight end room. There is some veteran experience returning, notably with senior Seydou Traore. He leads a group with a few new faces who offer similar physicality on the line and in the receiving game.
Starters
Seydou Traore: 6-4, 235 pounds
Redshirt senior from London, England
Traore returns after starting 12 games for the Bulldogs in 2024, catching 34 passes for 361 yards and a score. He offers versatility as a pass catcher and might have been more involved with more stability at quarterback. Still, he certainly turned some heads with his playmaking, including a pair of touchdowns that were controversially called back. He even recovered three fumbles on heads-up plays.
At his best, he’s electric.
Traore is a talented receiving threat with the physicality to outmuscle defensive backs and make tough catches through contact and the athleticism to slide away from coverage on mismatches. A more stable offense, or ideally for MSU, a supersonic offense, will provide Traore with more opportunities to make his presence known.
As the returning leader of the group, expect Traore to take most of the snaps, but there is room to work in the many new portal arrivals as well.
Max Reese: 6-3, 250 pounds
Redshirt junior from Chicago, Illinois
Reese arrives after three years at Eastern Michigan, where he started four games last season. He caught 27 passes for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He offers experience as an alternative option or depth piece.
Cameron Ball: 6-7, 250 pounds
Redshirt junior from Glenn Dale, Maryland
Ball arrived last year alongside Traore, appearing in all 12 games as a special teamer with three games under his belt on offense. His size makes him a solid option for 12-personnel, two-tight end looks either in the red zone or short yardage situations. Another year in the system may give him the opportunity to get more snaps as a receiving option or fill in for Traore as well.
Sam Paxton: 6-3, 240 pounds
Redshirt senior from Newellton, Louisiana
Paxton hasn’t played in any games yet for the Bulldogs in three years with the program.
Emeka Iloh: 6-9, 265 pounds
Junior from Peachtree, Georgia
Iloh arrives after two years at Coahoma Community College. He was the third-ranked JUCO tight end in the country and brings considerable size to the room.
Originally a defensive end and basketball prospect, Iloh is an interesting project player for the Bulldogs with the athleticism that he brings to the position.
Sam West: 6-4, 250 pounds
Redshirt sophomore from Greensburg, Indiana
West arrives from Indiana after playing 13 games as a special teamer. He rarely saw action on the offense, with just one catch for 37 yards, but has plenty of room to grow as a new addition to the tight end room with three years of eligibility remaining.
Joeseph Skipworth: 6-5, 225 pounds
Freshman from Pace, Florida
The only high school signee in the unit, Skipworth has plenty of experience to learn from as he gets up to speed in the position group.
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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.
