Brylan Lanier Used a Junior College Stint to Get Back to the SEC

In a room chalked full of inexperience, a former EMCC Lion will provide some.

Brylan Lanier / X Account @BrylanLanier

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State secondary, like most of the defense, is going through a transition. The group lost a lot of production from a season ago.

In previous eras of college football, a coaching staff raided the junior college ranks to sign veteran players with playing experience in hopes that they could make an instant impact on their squads. However, the luster of recruiting junior college players has faltered a bit with the emergence of the transfer portal, but not for Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs signed six junior college players last year, including four from the country's most popular program, East Mississippi Community College or "Last Chance U." Brylan Lanier is slightly different from his other fellow Lions, but they all have a common bond.

"I feel like we all made a great decision, and it was based on our experience with each other," Lanier said. "We bring aggression and passion. We just came from a junior college, so it is different."

Lanier differs from his teammates because he made two stops at Power Four programs. The Tuscaloosa, Ala. native initially inked with his hometown team, Alabama, out of high school but did not see any action and earned a redshirt.

Luckily for the junior, he had a prior relationship with his new defensive coordinator, former Crimson Tide assistant Coleman Hutzler, making the transition smoother.

"It was easy, me and Coach Hutzler got a good bond," Lanier said. "We have known each other for about three or four years now, and I respect and love him a lot."

After a season in the Southeastern Conference, the 6-1, 190-pound defensive back went to the Big 10 and signed with Indiana. The former 3-star recruit had a productive season, appearing in 11 games, making 12 tackles and a sack.

However, Lanier knew he wanted to return to the SEC and decided his best move was to attend EMCC. The gamble paid off, as Lanier had a monster year for the Lions, racking up 60 tackles, three and a half sacks, forcing two fumbles, and picking off a pass.

He helped lead EMCC to a berth in the National Championship and committed to the Bulldogs on the first day of 2024. So far, Lanier has enjoyed working at the nickel position in the young MSU secondary.

"I love it," Lanier said. "I get to play aggressively, cover, and show my versatility."

He also has a new position coach in former Memphis assistant Matt Barnes. Like all new coaching staff, Barnes has emphasized communication with his new squad.

"Technique and making calls, he emphasizes that and makes us talk a lot so we can move fast on motion adjustments," Lanier said.

It is not always the ideal circumstance to go to a junior college after playing for a pair of years at the Division One level. It can be a culture shock and taxing mentally because it seems that the dreams of playing at the highest levels are gone.

However, sometimes, that change is just what a player needs to refocus on their ultimate goal. Lanier had a long, windy road to go down before returning to the SEC, but he has, and the road gave him a new energy.

"It just made me passionate," Lanier said. "I give it all I got because I came from a juco. I felt like I lost it all, but now I have it back."