Albert Finds The Right Opportunity At MSU
March 06, 2023 | Football
STARKVILLE – There is plenty of playing time to be seized in Mississippi State's secondary this spring, especially at the safety position.
With last season's starters Jalen Green, Collin Duncan and Jackie Matthews all moving on to the next level, the Bulldogs entered the offseason on the lookout for some talented safeties to transition into those roles for next season.
Coincidentally, former four-star safety prospect Kobi Albert was searching for a new opportunity in the transfer portal after appearing in 10 games as a true freshman at Kentucky last fall.
The potential to earn an abundance of snaps in MSU's secondary intrigued Albert as he evaluated his options and ultimately caused him to commit to the Bulldogs with three years of eligibility remaining.
"The biggest thing I was looking for was an opportunity," Albert said. "I wanted the opportunity to be able to showcase my skills."
Rivals.com ranked Albert as the No. 20 safety in the 2021 class coming out of Fairfield (Ala.) Prep, where he starred as a wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner as well as on the basketball court.
That same athleticism led to him hitting the field immediately during his freshman season in Lexington. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder earned playing time in all but three games for the Wildcats last fall, including action at Davis Wade Stadium against Mississippi State.
And although Albert got a glimpse of his future surroundings back in October, he is glad to get the chance to arrive early and practice with his new team this spring.
"It was actually my goal to get somewhere before the portal closed just so I could be there for the spring," Albert said. "I wanted to enroll early out of high school but wasn't able to so to be in that situation again and have it happen makes everything a whole lot better."
Albert saw new head coach Zach Arnett's defense in action firsthand last year and loves the aggressive, attacking scheme in which the Bulldogs play. Albert believes his style of play with mesh well with Arnett's concepts.
"I like hitting and that's what he is about," Albert said. "I feel like I fit perfectly playing for him."
But switching schools wasn't without sacrifice. Albert left his brother, Kory, behind in Lexington when he chose to transfer but says his big brother supported his decision. Kory Albert is a rising senior linebacker for the Wildcats and has transferred to five different schools to keep his football dreams alive.
"It was tough to leave him but we both realize that we have the same goal of getting to the league," Kobi Albert said. "We're both willing to do anything to make that happen."
