Mississippi
Stone Blanton, Mississippi State football starting linebacker, declares for 2025 NFL draft
STARKVILLE — One of Mississippi State football’s top tacklers won’t return for the 2025 season.
Stone Blanton, the Bulldogs starting linebacker, declared for the NFL draft on Wednesday. He made the announcement with a post on social media.
“After much prayer and thoughtful consideration, I am humbled and excited to declare for the 2025 NFL draft,” he wrote. “This journey has been filled with unforgettable moments, lessons and blessings.”
Blanton was second on the team and tied for 10th nationally with 124 tackles this season. The junior had one year of eligibility remaining.
It’s the second significant roster move of the day for MSU after Georgia wide receiver Anthony Evans III announced his commitment in the transfer portal.
What Stone Blanton declaring for NFL draft means for Mississippi State football
Blanton, a Jackson native, transferred to MSU after two seasons at South Carolina. Although MSU struggled defensively, he was one of the few bright spots. He also had 3.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
His departure leaves a hole in Mississippi State’s defense that doesn’t have an obvious replacement. Fellow linebacker Nic Mitchell is returning and so is sophomore Zakari Tillman, who showed flashes as a playmaker. Five linebackers have transferred out of MSU, but most of them were depth pieces. Two have transferred in, headlined by Tennessee’s Jalen Smith, an All-SEC freshman.
The Bulldogs signed four-star Winona linebacker Tyler Lockhart in the 2025 recruiting class.
Safety Isaac Smith, MSU’s leading tackler, is returning next season.
Feb. 7 is the deadline for players to opt out of the draft and return to college.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.