Kamario Taylor Rejected $4M Contract Offers to Transfer from Mississippi State, New Rumors Reveal

An early-season Heisman contender, Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor decided against very lucrative NIL offers at the end of last season to remain with the Bulldogs.

Per ESPN's Alex Scarborough, Taylor had offers in the range of $4 million from other schools in January that he "ignored" because he wants to honor his commitment to Mississippi State.

"They don't know the type of person I am," Taylor told Scarborough. "My mom always told me that once you start something, you have to finish it."

That's not to say Mississippi State doesn't intend to reward Taylor for his efforts. One person inside the program told Scarborough they plan to be "highly" aggressive to keep him in 2027.

"It's not a situation where we've got to have a bake sale to make Kamario Taylor happy at Mississippi State," MSU alum and lawyer Charlie Winfield said. "We're invested."

An offer in the $4 million range for Taylor at the end of last season speaks to how highly his talent was viewed because he did not play a lot as a freshman.

Fifth-year senior Blake Shapen was the Bulldogs' starter in 2025. Taylor, a 4-star recruit in the 2025 class, appeared in 11 games and started the final two games, including the Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest.

Taylor threw for 419 yards, ran for 236 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in those two games.

A $4 million deal would have made Taylor the sixth-highest-paid quarterback in FBS this season. The players at the top of the list are Miami's Darian Mensah (at least $6 million), Oregon's Dante Moore ($5 million), Mississippi's Trinidad Chambliss ($5 million), LSU's Sam Leavitt ($4.5 million) and Indiana's Josh Hoover ($4.5 million).

Taylor's performance so far this season has hit a point where Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones, who played at Mississippi State from 2013 to '15, recently said he plans to donate to the school's NIL to ensure the young quarterback doesn't go anywhere.

The sophomore star has thrown for 1,192 yards, 14 touchdowns and a 69.2 completion percentage in four games. He has also contributed 185 rushing yards and one touchdown on 37 carries.

Mississippi State has climbed up to No. 16 in the AP Top 25 poll amid a 4-0 start. It's tied for the program's highest ranking since the 2019 season.

This week is another chance for Taylor to enhance his Heisman case when the Bulldogs host No. 7 Alabama.