If Alcorn State is going to climb back into SWAC contention this fall, head coach Cedric Thomas is clear about who will set the tone: quarterback Jaylon Tolbert.
Speaking at SWAC Football Media Day, Thomas framed Tolbert as both the present and future of the Braves’ offense, a player whose 2025 late-season surge in his first year as a starter mirrored the team’s own turnaround.
“Jaylon started off kind of slow last year coming into the SWAC,” Thomas said. “But once he got his feet under him, our team took off. “I’m looking at a player who has the capability to be a player of the year. Now he’s just got to put it together for 12 games.”
2025 season showed what Jaylon Tolbert could be
Tolbert’s growth became evident down the stretch as Alcorn State found its rhythm, closing with a four-game winning streak and finishing 4–4 in league play after a sluggish start to the season.
Tolbert finished the 2025 season completing 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,094 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also adding a pair of rushing scores.
Thomas said the difference in the second-half improvement was experience, confidence, and a more complete command of the offense.
In the months since, Tolbert has doubled down on that momentum. Thomas noted that his quarterback invested in a personal trainer during the offseason, adding size and strength to his frame and more “pop and velocity” to his throws.
“The cerebral part is there,” Thomas said. “Now he just has to lead.”
“I’m looking at a player who has the capability to be a player of the year. Now he’s just got to put it together for 12 games.”
Tolbert spent the offseason improving physically and refining his mechanics. In the offseason, Tolbert worked with a quarterback coach, a move he said was needed to elevate his game.
Tolbert expected to be championship catalyst
For Tolbert to pull Alcorn State back into SWAC contention, it means stepping into a lineage of Braves quarterbacks who have led championship pushes and defined eras: names like Steve McNair, John Gibbs, Norris Footman, and Felix Harper.
The Braves haven’t won a SWAC championship since 2019 and are picked to finish third in SWAC West in conference preseason poll.
Thomas did not shy away from invoking that history when outlining his expectations of where he was Tolbert to take Alcorn State.
“We expect him to take us to those glory days,” Thomas said.
