The least surprising piece of news on the Mississippi State transfer front this winter is the decision by Leon Bell to take advantage of the NCAA winter portal.
Bell, an offensive lineman for the 2023 and 2024 rosters, was suspended by Coach Jeff Lebby two games into this season and for the remainder of the schedule. Now he will look for another senior college to play for via the winter transfer window, which officially opens next Monday and runs through the 28th of this month.
A junior college signee two years ago, Bell played offensive tackle for Mississippi State. He came in at right tackle during the season opening game with Eastern Kentucky so starter Albert Reese could slide over to another spot. A week later at Arizona State he was inserted into the starting lineup at that same spot, for his first career senior college start. Bell also had a role on Bulldog kicking teams.
His suspension was announced by Lebby at his standard Monday press conference, with no reason provided for the move. Ultimately his loss was the gain of true freshman Luke Work who found his role as a starter at right tackle late in the season.
Bell played in the maximum four games, all the first four contests on the schedule, as a 2023 transfer from junior college and retained his redshirt. All his 27 snaps as a junior were at right tackle. He competed for the top spot all spring and preseason.
A native of Dickinson, Texas, Bell played two seasons at Kilgore Community College. As a freshman he got into five games as the Rangers advanced to the Regional semifinals before losing to the state champions. A year later Bell was a regular in the lineup playing in eleven games including the Heart of Texas Bowl. His team won the SWJFC Championship and Bell was rated the second-best junior college prospect in Texas as well as the #17th juco prospect nationally.
He signed a letter of intent in December of 2022 with newly-promoted Coach Zach Arnett the day after he had committed to Mississippi State. He becomes the seventh member of the 2022 recruiting class to declare for the transfer portal.
Bell played at Dickinson High School as an offensive tackle.
Mississippi State anticipates several more members of the 2024 team to join this growing group as after one full year on the job Coach Jeff Lebby and staff perform a major re-working of the roster. The high school and junior college signing dates are December 4-6 with at least 24 expected to sign on, then up to a score more portal players to join them before the calendar turns.
In Lebby’s first recruiting season Mississippi State signed 19 transfer players, 18 of whom reported to campus in spring or summer. So far one player who intends to apply to the portal has declared for Mississippi State, that being Kennesaw State cornerback Jayven Williams.
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