STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State’s football program could reach significant milestones in this year’s NFL draft.
Four Bulldogs are projected to be drafted in the three-day event that starts at 7 tonight (ESPN), including All-America left tackle Derek Sherrod, who many analysts predict will be selected in the first round.
If Sherrod’s teammates KJ Wright, Chris White, and Pernell McPhee are drafted, it will be the most Bulldogs have had selected since 2001, when four were picked.
The four Bulldogs were All-SEC selections and are MSU’s most touted seniors since the 2001 class that featured Willie Blade, Fred Smoot, and Ellis Wyms.
“It’s scary because you look out there and some good players are not gonna be there, but for us in this program it just shows how hard those guys work and how much they bought into this program,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said. “Hopefully, a lot of our younger players see that ‘if I work as hard as Pernell McPhee, or if I work as hard as Derek Sherrod I’m gonna have the opportunity past college to play pro football.'”
Sherrod, considered by National Football Post director of college scouting Wes Bunting as a ‘pure left tackle,’ is lauded for his footwork and technique.
Mullen has referred to Sherrod as “the best tackle he’s ever coached,” which is high praise considering the talented offenses he has directed at the University of Utah and University of Florida.
Sherrod is projected by Bunting to go anywhere between picks 20 and 32, noting the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, and Philadelphia Eagles as potential landing spots.
Bunting said Sherrod would be ideal in a zone blocking scheme that utilizes quicker linemen in misdirection running plays.
Possibly Sherrod’s greatest asset, though, is his experience playing in different schemes. For the first two years of his career, the Caledonia High School graduate played in Sylvester Croom’s West Coast offense, a system used by nearly half of the teams in the NFL.
He spent his final two years playing mostly out of a two-point stance in a spread rushing attack. In Croom’s offense, the offense linemen played mostly out of three-point stances.
“Some of these Big 12 offenses, guys have never played with their hands in the ground and have never moved anyone off the ball in the run game,” Bunting said. “That’s the big thing, but with Sherrod they’ve run power sets before and he’s played with his hand in the ground.
“Spread guys, if it’s third-and-short and you’re four-wide — you’re just not doing that in the NFL.”
Sherrod and University of Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy are two of 16 scholar-athletes recognized by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame. Each of the 16 players earns an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship from the NFF. University of Texas defensive end Sam Acho of Texas received a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship as the nation’s top scholar-athlete.
Each scholar-athlete candidate must be a senior or a graduate student in his final year of eligibility, have a grade-point average of at least 3.2, be a starter, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
While Sherrod is considered more of a polished prospect, defensive end Pernell McPhee isn’t rated as high as he could be because of his lack of experience.
The Pahokee, Fla., native didn’t start playing football until his senior year in high school. He spent two seasons at Itawamba Community College before coming to MSU. However, he was a junior college All-American and an All-SEC selection at MSU. He has accomplished a lot thanks mainly to athleticism and relentless play, which despite his average numbers at the NFL combine — he ran a 4.9 second 40-yard dash at 285 pounds — will be his greatest asset to a NFL team, Bunting said.
“This is a guy who you could tell was a strong kid with some natural athletic ability but just didn’t really didn’t know what he was doing,” Bunting said. “But you saw the development this year; he looked like a more natural pass rusher.
“He’s a pretty coordinated athlete. His numbers at the combine are not going to help his cause, running in the 4.9 range. I think he’s gonna have to play the base end in the 43 (alignment). I think if teams want those bigger outside backers in a 3-4, I think he can even get a look there, but I think most teams have him as a base 43 end.”
Though McPhee’s statistics were modest compared to other defensive end standouts — he had just two sacks — McPhee was constantly around the football. He had double-digit hurries and even dropped into coverage from a two-point stance. He also dealt with constant double teams and slide protections to his side of the field, MSU defensive coordinator Chris Wilson said.
“He made us a tremendously better defense,” Wilson said. “He allowed guys like (defensive tackles) Fletcher (Cox) and Josh Boyd to come into their own because they were singled a lot because of teams sliding to Pernell and bringing backs to him. He was a big part of our success a year ago.
“And with his size, he can move inside and be a three technique in pass-rush situations. The more you know, the more you’re capable of doing and the better your chances are of making a ball club.”
The National Football Post has McPhee, Sherrod, and Wright ranked in its top 100 draft-eligible players. Bunting said McPhee has a shot to sneak into the third round but likely will be drafted in the fourth round.
Wright, by today’s NFL linebacker standards, looks the part of an NFL-ready player. At 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, Wright excels playing downhill and can deliver a pop, Bunting said.
Like Sherrod, Wright’s scheme diversity makes him a coveted mid-round prospect. Wright has had four defensive coordinators in his time at MSU and has played both outside linebacker positions. Last season, he finished second on the team in tackles and had 10 pass breakups.
Last season, Wright was used more in blitzing situations, which showed scouts another level of versatility and physical play, Bunting said.
“He’s got some savvy,” Bunting said. “I see him more as a strong-side ‘backer because of his size. Because of his size I think he’ll get a lot more looks from teams that run a 34. He’s not elite in any area, but I think he’s got enough to hold his own as a starter in the NFL.”
Wilson said the main questions NFL personnel have asked him about Wright have been about which system he feels he’ll fit into.
“He’s got so much versatility, but at the end of the day he’s a football player,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t matter if you back him four-and-a-half yards from the line of scrimmage or if you play him on the line of scrimmage, he is smart and he’s got a lot of physical tools. That will translate well to the next level.”
Wright, who is projected to go in the third or fourth round, is receiving more attention than White, who won the Conerly Trophy and led MSU in tackles, tackles for a loss, and sacks.
White, who ran a 4.68 at the combine, is surprisingly stuck with the label of being an “average athlete.” Because MSU’s system allowed him to attack the line of scrimmage and make plays by shooting gaps, league scouts believe he’ll be a two-down player that won’t be able to offer much in pass coverage.
“He’s not gonna make many plays off his frame and he’ll struggle in pursuit,” Bunting said. “And he’s stiff in coverage, so you got a two-down ‘backer that doesn’t have much range. It’s tough to draft a guy in that case. I think he’s more of a 34 backer, maybe a jack backer just playing on the strong side and attacking downhill.”
Wilson disagrees with Bunting’s assessment and the rest of the analysts who project White to go in the seventh round or go undrafted.
“He’s instinctive,” Wilson said. “You don’t have to tell him a lot, which I’m a believer in with your standup guys. He’s as good in pass coverage as he is in the run game, and he does a lot of things just naturally.
“To be in our system only one year and be able to pick up on t
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