Wide receiver Brenen Thompson and tight end Seydou Traore were both selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to an April 25 announcement from Mississippi State. Thompson was picked by the Los Angeles Chargers, becoming the first Bulldog receiver drafted since Eric Moulds in 1996. Traore was chosen by the Miami Dolphins and made history as the first player ever drafted through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.
The selections are significant for Mississippi State football, highlighting achievements by players who set new records during their collegiate careers. Thompson stood out at this year’s NFL Combine with a top event time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash. His performance during his single season at Mississippi State included setting a school record with 1,054 receiving yards in 2025, making him not only the first Bulldog to lead the Southeastern Conference in receiving yardage but also just the fourth to surpass a thousand yards in a season.
Thompson completed his college career with totals of 84 receptions for 1,557 yards and ten touchdowns after transferring from Texas and Oklahoma before joining head coach Jeff Lebby at Mississippi State.
Traore was taken in the fifth round after two productive seasons at Mississippi State following previous play at Arkansas State. Originally from London, England, he began playing organized football only six years ago but finished his college career with notable statistics: 131 receptions for 1,482 yards and ten touchdowns overall. Most of that production came while playing for Mississippi State over two seasons where he recorded sixty-nine catches for seven hundred twenty-eight yards and six touchdowns.
Both players’ selections reflect recent success stories within Mississippi State’s football program as well as growing opportunities provided by initiatives like the International Player Pathway Program.
