Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Jaray Bledsoe (94) rushes during the second half against the Rice Owls at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

40 in 40: Jaray Bledsoe named potential breakout star by ESPN in 2025

Originally posted on Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI
By Taylor Hodges | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Mississippi State opens up the 2025 season in nine days, which means we’re nine days away from learning if all of the offseason changes will pay off.

If you’re looking for evidence the changes worked, right now, a pretty good sign has come courtesy of ESPN.

In an article by Adam Rittenberg ranking the “sleeper” college players that could have a breakout season in 2025, two of Mississippi State’s transfer portal additions were listed as candidates to have breakout seasons.

Former Coastal Carolina defensive tackle Will Whitson was listed as one and former Texas defensive tackle Jaray Bledsoe was listed as the other.

. @JarayBledsoe + @_WilliamWhitson #HailState || @ESPNCFB pic.twitter.com/HhGfcEABqJ
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) August 21, 2025

"Those are two guys that we're going to be able to lean on," Lebby told ESPN in the article. "They're incredibly talented and they play the game the way you want it to be played. These are big, physical interior guys, and they fit this league. It's such a different situation than we were in. I love their skill set. I love who they've been since they've been here."

Whitson has already made his appearance on our list of the 40 most important Bulldogs in 2025. Now seems like a good time to give Bledsoe his turn.

Who is Jaray Bledsoe?

Bledsoe played at Marlin High School in Texas where he became an All-American and participated in the 2022 Under Armour All-America game. He was ranked 23rd in the Texas Top 25 Class of 2022 by USA Today and was rated among the top 25 players in Texas by the major recruiting services. He signed with Texas and made his collegiate debut and recorded his first collegiate tackle against Louisiana-Monroe.

That would be the only game Bledsoe would play in that season, earning him a red shirt, and the following season saw his playing time increase. He played in eight games, recording five tackles, a tackle for a loss, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry.

Bledsoe looked primed to take another step forward as Texas made the move to the SEC after the 2023 season, but that’s not what happened.

What happened in 2024?

Bledsoe’s playing time took a sharp decline as the Longhorns made their way through their first SEC season. He played in just three games and registered two tackles. Seeing his playing time decrease and difficult path forward for getting more playing time on one of the nation’s best defenses, entering the transfer portal was likely an easy decision for Bledsoe.

Why will he be important in 2025?

At 6-foot-4, 315-pounds, Bledsoe is the exact type of player Mississippi State needed to bring in on the defensive line. The Bulldogs needed to get bigger and better.

Bledsoe definitely makes the defensive line bigger considering at his current height and weight, he would’ve been the largest defender last season.

He hasn’t had a full opportunity to showcase his talents, but he’ll get that chance this season. Also, if people smarter than me see Bledsoe as a possible breakout player in 2025, then its safe to say Bledsoe be an impactful and important player in 2025.