James Madison wide receiver Nakai Poole enters Transfer Portal

James Madison Dukes wide receiver Nakai Poole has entered the Transfer Portal. He previously played for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

To this point in his college career, Poole has not recorded a stat in a game. He initially entered the Transfer Portal to leave Mississippi State in November of 2023, shortly after the program moved on from head coach Zach Arnett. He’s re-entering after going through spring practice at James Madison, without playing a game.

Nakai Poole played high school football at Norcross (Georgia), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 880 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

As a senior in high school, Poole had 53 catches for 803 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 16 carries, with five going for touchdowns that season. He did play both ways in high school and had 10 tackles and recovered a fumble as a senior before signing with the Bulldogs out of high school.

The 2023 season was a difficult one for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs went just 4-6 before Arnett was fired and the team ended the season at 5-7. That was Arnett’s first season, replacing the late great Mike Leach.

James Madison is also going through its share of changes, with head coach Curt Cignetti leaving to lead the Indiana Hoosiers. He was replaced by Bob Chesney, who previously found success at the FCS level while leading Holy Cross.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Mississippi State and the Transfer Portal

Going into 2024, Mississippi State will have its third head coach in as many seasons. Because of that, it’s not a surprise that there has been plenty of movement for the Bulldogs in the Transfer Portal.

As of now, Mississippi State’s 2024 transfer class is ranked 26th in the On3 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. The Bulldogs have seen 25 players transfer out of the program, with another 16 transferring into the program. That group of 25 players to leave includes Nakai Poole.

Among those 16 players to transfer into the program are nine who are coming in from power conference programs. The other seven are coming in from the ranks of the Group of Five.