STARKVILLE — Unmoved by how others rate his 2011 recruiting class, Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen locked up 22 players Wednesday he feels “fit” the program standard.
Never mind the stars next to their names on recruiting websites or the hoopla surrounding their National Signing Day decisions — Mullen doesn”t keep up with that.
On Wednesday, however, he spent as much time talking about the damage done by six prior de-commitments as Parade All-America safety Dee Arrington and four-star receiver Joe Morrow, both of whom signed with MSU.
That”s because Morrow and Arrington were the heavy-hitters in a class that once boasted five four-star players.
The Bulldogs lost all-Americans and former verbal commitments C.J. Johnson and Nick Brassell to the University of Mississippi and saw former pledge Jermaine Whitehead join Auburn.
Signing day didn”t bring good news for a program that landed All-America tackle Damien Robinson last season. MSU was hoping to land junior college defensive end Leon Mackey or Washington D.C. defensive tackle Kevin McReynolds, but saw the former sign with Texas Tech and the latter sign with UCLA.
Scout.com ranks Mullen”s third recruiting class at MSU No. 43 in the nation, while Rivals.com ranks it No. 42.
Player rankings, however, are irrelevant in coaches” evaluations when filling needs, Mullen said.
“Our program is about development,” Mullen said. “Forty-seven of 53 players in the last two years we”ve signed are contributing to our program. That”s a pretty good number. We”ll take those odds.”
The Bulldogs signed 15 in-state players — more than Ole Miss and Southern Miss combined — and added five offensive linemen and three defensive linemen.
Tupelo High School defensive tackle P.J. Jones (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) headlines the lineman group, while rangy edge rushers Preston Smith (6-6, 225) and John Harris (6-6, 230) bring needed depth to a position that lost three players at the end of the season.
“When you look at that foundation on the offensive and defensive side of the line, it”s really hard to make up in recruiting at those two positions (offensive and defensive line) if you ever fall behind,” Mullen said. “I”m really happy with those guys.”
The Bulldogs landed five defensive backs, led by Stone County standout Arrington and West Point playmaker Justin Cox.
South Panola”s Kendrick Market, who wasn”t highly recruited, could be the standout of the 2011 graduating class, Mullen said.
“I think if you talk to people in South Panola, he was the MVP of their team, and maybe the best football player in the state of Mississippi,” Mullen said. “Might not put up the measurables a lot of people on the Internet like to write up, but when you turn on the film and watch him play, he makes a ton of plays.”
While Mullen signed just two receivers, he”s confident he got the best tandem in the state in Morrow and Wilkinson County”s Devin Fosselman.
Ole Miss signees Brassell and Tobias Singleton — both in-state players — were rated higher than Morrow and Fosselman by recruiting websites.
“I talk to a lot of high school coaches that go down and watch all the talent at the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game, and they said the two top receivers were Fosselman and Morrow,” Mullen said. If they”re the two top receivers, we”re pretty happy to get those guys.”
The one area MSU failed to address is linebacker, where it must replace all three starters from last season. Rosa Fort”s Bernardrick McKinney (6-4, 205) was the only linebacker to sign Wednesday.
However, Mullen believes the versatility of the players MSU signs could see a player like Arrington (6-2, 210) move to linebacker, much like former high school safety Chris Hughes did in his freshman season for the Bulldogs.
MSU signed several players who could end up at a number of positions, including West Lauderdale tight end/tackle Daniel Knox and Morton receiver/defensive back Taveze Calhoun. Those qualities represent the real value in MSU”s class, Mullen said.
“You look at a Dee Arrington, who runs the ball, plays quarterback, plays receiver, plays safety plays all over the field,” Mullen said. “(Heidelberg safety) Zach Jackson does the same thing for his team. Those are the type of guys we look for.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.