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Mississippi State

100-Day Bulldog Countdown: 90 Days, No. 90 DT Kai McClendon

3rupauk8_400x400by:Robbie Faulk•06/01/25•

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kai mcclendon
Kai McClendon (Photo by Mississippi State Athletics)

Year two of the Jeff Lebby era has arrived and the Mississippi State coach is back to work.

After a disappointing first season, the coach and his staff are doing what they can to get things back on track in Starkville. The players on the field will be the difference for State this season if they are to make a return and we’re going to discuss every single one of them over the course of the next few months.

As we do every year, we’re counting down 100 days until State’s first game at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on August 30. Over this period of time, we’ll breakdown every scholarship player on the roster, look back at great moments in MSU history and even talk about legends that have come before the current Bulldogs.

Today, we’re taking a look at a young defensive lineman who earned his stripes last year as a true freshman.

90 Days: No. 90, Sophomore Defensive Tackle Kai McClendon  

In just over a year’s time, McClendon has gotten opportunities that even he might not have ever imagined.

McClendon was a player that started out his career playing on the offensive line but he began to figure out that his future could be as a defender at Gulfport High School. In the middle of his senior season, McClendon began turning heads around the state of Mississippi and beyond as he was dominating the middle of the defense.

By the end of the year, McClendon had racked up 63 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and a forced fumble despite taking on constant double teams and becoming the scout of every team on the schedule. He quickly went from a junior college prospect to a Bonafide Powe 4 possibility.

Group of 5 schools like Memphis, Liberty came in and then there was Arizona, Arizona State and Georgia Tech that offered. After McClendon was a late add to the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game due to his rise, MSU also joined the fray with interest.

Lebby brought in McClendon for an official visit after the first signing day period and the boxes were checked. McClendon had already impressed on film, but the 6’2, 300-pound frame would sell the coach as well. An offer came to McClendon and he committed on the spot.

McClendon was also a standout in the classroom as a senior and he was able to enroll early in Starkville which would pay off dividends. He got a chance to work with David Turner and the defensive line in those practices and that would prove invaluable as he would be needed up front last season.

After the loss of nose tackle Eric Taylor due to a dismissal and Kalvin Dinkins’ season-ending injury in game one of the season, it was up to McClendon to give the squad valuable reps on a depleted line. He was learning on the fly himself, but McClendon would play in all 12 games and earn five starts on the year as he had 30 tackles, 2.0 TFL and 0.5 sack as he had some moments where he impressed.

It was a great start to what is a promising career for McClendon, but the next step is being even better as a sophomore this season. The Bulldogs need him to take that step this year and also need to add some help in the middle so the depth grows. He will be right in the mix for some big opportunities as a sophomore and has a bright future ahead.  

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