Mississippi State lands transfer portal WR who can help them secure QB Jackson Arnold

Thompson is a smaller target at wideout, but he is one of the fastest receivers in all of college football. With Jeff Lebby in 2023, Thompson had some notable flashes of his clear talent with the Sooners. He began his career at the University of Texas. 

His debut season with the Sooners in 2023 was limited by injuries, appearing in just six games. Despite this, he was impactful, grabbing seven receptions for 241 yards and two touchdowns, with an average of 34.4 yards per catch. In 2024, Thompson's role expanded; he started games and became a key figure in the wide receiver unit, recording 19 receptions for 230 yards and two more touchdowns. But, he had to step up because the Sooners were down their top five wide receivers for much of the year. -- Justin Churchill

You cannot underestimate Thompson's blazing speed. No player on Mississippi State's roster had that upside when it comes to downfield ability last season, a year where the offense had plenty of inconsistency. 

His speed is a big trait that everyone loves from him. He's fast, like really fast, but had some issues this year catching the ball. He's still pretty raw, but in Jeff Lebby's system with potentially having Jackson Arnold throwing him the ball, there's no telling how much his game could elevate. -- Justin Churchill

For the Bulldogs, Thompson is not an "X" sort of target. Instead, expect him to get plenty of time in the slot, and Lebby will also use him as a dynamic weapon on Jet Sweeps and other rushes by non-running backs.

Jackson Arnold update

The largest implication by the addition of Thompson may be State's purist of Jackson Arnold. The young quarterback visited Auburn on Thursday and is expected to visit with Mississippi State on Friday/Saturday. 

The two programs remain landlocked in a battle for Arnold's talent and potential. 

Lebby is all-in on Arnold, who he recruited to Oklahoma and has a close relationship with. Arnold was a Five-Star Plus+ recruit and a top-10 prospect in the 2023 class. He threw for 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2024.

Similar to Auburn, Mississippi State is gearing up to provide a competitive financial package to land Jackson Arnold. Lebby is doing everything he can to signal that the Oklahoma transfer is option No. 1 for the Bulldogs in the transfer portal. -- Pete Nakos

Arnold spent time with Thompson over the past two years. Adding his former teammate could be a step in the right direction for the Bulldogs' chances to land their starter at QB for 2025 and possibly beyond.