One of the best players in all of college football will be staying put next season.

News broke this week that Mississippi State superstar quarterback Kamario Taylor had agreed to an NIL deal with the school to keep him in Starkville and make him the highest-paid player in the sport. According to On3, the deal is worth $7.5 million and with incentives, has the potential to climb as high as $9 million.

BREAKING: Kamario Taylor is finalizing a $7.5M deal to return to Mississippi State in 2027, making him college football's highest-paid QB, @PeteNakos and @Clowfb report.

With incentives, the deal could potentially climb above $9 million.https://t.co/AzJYj4nCVS pic.twitter.com/dlp14HZhTe

— On3 (@On3) November 11, 2026

Taylor, a Mississippi native who grew up a huge fan of the Bulldogs, had a strong freshman year in 2025 before bursting onto the scene the first month of the season this year – becoming one of the most electrifying players in the sport. After getting MSU off to a 4-0 start, he suffered a foot injury at the end of that fourth game which limited him greatly from there.

While he did give it a go against Alabama the following week, it was clear that he was not the same player and was playing through a significant situation, and not long after the Crimson Tide handed them their first loss of the season, Taylor wound up having surgery that would end his season.

Heading into next year, he will be among the favorites for the Heisman Trophy, and the Bulldogs will likely enter the season with plenty of hype. But MSU faces an absolutely brutal schedule, including road trips to Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, along with home matchups against Florida and Ole Miss.

If Taylor can help this team compete for a playoff spot against that schedule, he will have been worth every penny and more.