Former SEC player returns to Mississippi Valley in bold HBCU homecoming

In a college football era defined by transfer portals and NIL deals, one player just made a decision rooted in loyalty, legacy, and love for home.

Dante Kelly, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound safety and former 3-star standout, is coming back—not just to Mississippi, but to the same dirt roads and Friday night lights that shaped him. The Leflore County native is transferring to Mississippi Valley State University, bringing SEC experience and big-time potential back to Itta Bena.

Kelly’s journey has taken him across conferences, but his story started on the fields just minutes from Rice-Totten Stadium. He led Leflore County High School to back-to-back district titles, earning Mississippi Small School All-State honors in 2022 with 105 tackles and 4 picks. He was ranked among Mississippi’s Top 50 prospects, eventually committing to Vanderbilt over offers from Power 4 programs.

“A very special player who I think one day will be a NFL talent. The sky is the limit for Dante,” said former coach Eric House. “The things that stick out with Dante is his physical attributes. He’s very athletic. What sticks out is definitely his speed especially his speed and agility for that size.”

But after a redshirt year at Vanderbilt and a short stint at Southern Miss, Kelly chose a route few former SEC players take—he came home to an HBCU. And not just any HBCU: Mississippi Valley State, a program with a proud past and a struggling present.

The Delta Devils went 1-11 last season. They haven’t posted a winning record in over a decade. But change is coming. With Terrell Buckley—former NFL star and Pascagoula native—now at the helm, Kelly’s arrival feels like the beginning of a cultural shift.