Mississippi State’s rising star was building a strong case as one of the first quarterbacks to be selected in the 2028 NFL Draft. However, quarterback Kamario Taylor will now miss the rest of the season after a toe injury that requires surgery. Taylor, who tops the 2028 NFL Draft consensus big board, faces months of recovery before he can return to the field.
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“Sources: Mississippi State star QB Kamario Taylor will miss the rest of the season, as he faces surgery on his injured toe. Taylor has an appointment today to get his toe checked out by a specialist and could have surgery as early as tomorrow. He’s expected to make a full recovery,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on X.
Taylor first injured his toe during Mississippi State’s win over Missouri on September 26. The school announced the decision on Tuesday. The goal is to help him recover in time for the 2027 season.
Thamel shared more details in another post. “Sources said that Taylor pushed hard to play after the injury. It became clear that time and rest weren’t going to get to him to a point where he could be effective.”
Taylor tried to play against Alabama on October 3 and Oklahoma on Saturday, but the injury clearly affected him. He left both games early and missed the Bulldogs’ October 17 game against LSU.
Against Oklahoma, Taylor appeared to hurt his toe further when he was tackled during a scramble. Mississippi State lost the game 23-15. However, head coach Jeff Lebby said Taylor had aggravated his existing injury and had not suffered a new one.
The injury comes at a difficult time for Taylor. Before it happened, he was one of college football’s breakout stars. He helped Mississippi State start the season 4-0, with wins over Minnesota, South Carolina, and Missouri. The Bulldogs also climbed into the national top 25.
His performance against then-No. 19 Missouri was a highlight. Taylor completed 27 of 38 passes for 360 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
Taylor finished his season with 1,460 passing yards and 17 touchdown passes. He completed more than 65% of his passes, showing how much he contributed to the Bulldogs’ offense before the injury slowed him down.
At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Taylor is already attracting attention as a future NFL prospect. He currently ranks No. 1 on the consensus big board for the 2028 NFL Draft.
Taylor belongs to the 2025 recruiting class, meaning the 2027 season would be his third year in college. The 2028 NFL Draft would follow that season.
For now, the focus is on his recovery. Surgery is expected to help him get ready for the 2027 season, and Thamel reported that Taylor is expected to make a full recovery. However, it remains to be seen how missing the rest of this season will affect his future draft evaluation.
Mississippi State, meanwhile, has struggled since its strong start. The Bulldogs are 4-3 overall and 2-3 in SEC play after losing three straight games to Alabama, LSU, and Oklahoma. No. 11 Texas is next on their schedule.
Taylor, who is from Macon, Mississippi, has said he wants to remain at Mississippi State. His surgery could take place as early as Wednesday, giving him a chance to focus on recovery and prepare for his return in 2027.