Mississippi
Mississippi State football lands Grenada 4-star WR Zayion Cotton in 2026 recruiting class
This story was updated to add new information.
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football has a new top prospect in its 2026 recruiting class.
Zayion Cotton, a 247Sports Composite four-star, committed to the Bulldogs on June 22. The wide receiver from Grenada announced the news with a post on X.
“1,000% committed!!! #HailState,” he wrote in the post.
He kicked off a run of four commits for the day. Shortly after Cotton’s commitment, three-star Canton wide receiver Jayden Cration pledged to the Bulldogs. So did South Pike edge rusher Micah Nickerson, who’s unranked, and three-star Holmes County Central cornerback Terrell Johnson Jr.
Cotton picked MSU over power conference offers from Ole Miss, Miami, Vanderbilt, Florida State, Auburn, Arkansas and NC State. He overtakes quarterback Brodie McWhorter as the top player in Mississippi State’s recruiting class. The 6-foot-5, 215 pounds receiver recorded 48 receptions for 700 yards and six touchdowns last season as Grenada won the MHSAA Class 6A championship.
Cration, 6-3, 185 pounds, held power conference offers from Ole Miss, LSU, Vanderbilt and West Virginia. Nickerson’s one other power conference offer was from Virginia. Johnson had no other offers from power conference schools.
Two three-stars committed over the weekend before Cotton: tight end Luke Hutchinson and safety Jax Pope.
247 rankings for Zayion Cotton, Jayden Cration, Micah Nickerson and Terrell Johnson Jr.
Cotton is a four-star prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He’s tabbed at No. 418 nationally, the No. 65 wide receiver and No. 16 in Mississippi.
Cration, a three-star, is ranked No. 563 nationally, the No. 91 wide receiver and No. 19 in Mississippi.
Johnson, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, does not have a national rank but is the No. 146 cornerback and No. 51 player in Mississippi, according to 247Sports.
Nickerson, 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, is not ranked.
Mississippi State football recruiting class 2026
Mississippi State now has 20 commitments for its 2026 recruiting class:
- WR Zayion Cotton
- QB Brodie McWhorter
- WR Jayden Cration
- IOL Jakobe Green
- ATH Jaiden Taylor
- WR Camden Capehart
- RB Jaeden Hill
- DL Kaleb Morris
- OT Charles Humphrey
- S Antavius Watts
- TE Adam Land
- CB Camron Brown
- S Kolby Barrett
- S Jax Pope
- TE Luke Hutchinson
- OT Jayden Ross
- LB Maurice Jones Jr.
- IOL Dylan Steen
- DE Micah Nickerson
- CB Terrell Johnson Jr.
Where Mississippi State ranks in 2026 team recruiting rankings
The Bulldogs’ 2026 recruiting class is ranked No. 34 nationally. It’s No. 7 in the SEC.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.