Mississippi State WR Marquez Dortch to transfer

Starkville - Mississippi State redshirt freshman Marquez Dortch announced his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal on Sunday.

The 6'0" 160-pound wide receiver appeared in one game as a true freshman in 2022, catching one pass for one yard. He will have four years of eligibility at his next destination after redshirting his initial season.

Dortch wrote the following message on Twitter as he announced his departure from the Mississippi State program:

"First and foremost, I would like to thank God for blessing me with this ability to this great game that I love the most. I also want to thank the entire Mississippi State coaching staff for providing this opportunity as well as all of my teammates for believing in me. However, I think now is the time for me to leave home and see what is next for my career. With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal with 4 years of eligibility left."

A former four-star prospect out of George County High School in Lucedale, Mississippi, Dortch made an initial commitment to Ole Miss before eventually flipping to Mississippi State. He also held offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Indiana, Kansas, and Miami.

During his first spring practice under new offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay, Dortch primarily worked with the 3rd unit in the slot. Dortch is the first of a few expected transfer portal additions at the conclusion of spring camp for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs currently have 91 players on the projected roster when the freshman and a few incoming transfers arrive in June, so there will be some more attrition after spring camp to get down to the scholarship limit of 85.