Mississippi State OL LaQuinston Sharp Declares for 2023 NFL Draft

Sharp will begin preparing for the draft after playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl for the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State offensive lineman LaQuinston Sharp is entering the 2023 NFL Draft.

Sharp released his announcement on his personal Instagram account. He also shared that he will still be playing in the upcoming ReliaQuest Bowl for the team rather than opting out. 

The native of Columbus, Mississippi, returned to the Bulldogs' offense as a graduate student in 2022 despite some speculation that he would be moving to the next level. Sharp had a huge impact on the team in his return, serving as a leader to his offensive line and helping it stand strong in former head coach Mike Leach's Air Raid offense. 

"This has been a journey filled with many setbacks and hardships, but that'll never overshadow the great memories that were made with some of the best teammates, coaches and fans you could ask for," Sharp wrote in his announcement. 

Sharp picked up his fair share of accolades during his time in the Maroon and White. In 2021, he was named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after helping the Bulldogs notch a big victory against Kentucky. PFF also named him an All-SEC Honorable Mention. 

Those honors continued to pile on this season: Sharp received three separate SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week awards after victories against Memphis, Arizona and Ole Miss. He was selected to PFF's All-SEC Third Team at the end of the regular season. 

Sharp will dress out for Mississippi State for the last time on Jan. 2, as the Bulldogs take on Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.