At least one Mississippi State player has been selected in every NFL Draft since 2010, and while there may not be a first-round talent coming out of Starkville this year, that streak is expected to continue.
Cornerback Decamerion Richardson is viewed as the Bulldogs’ top selection, with defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy, linebacker Nathaniel “Bookie” Watson and wide receiver/kick returner Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin also on some draft boards. That quartet represented MSU at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in February and March.
The 2024 NFL Draft begins Thursday night in Detroit with Round 1; Rounds 2 and 3 are Friday and Rounds 4 through 7 will take place Saturday.
The Dispatch examined five full seven-round mock drafts to see where the four Bulldogs prospects are expected to land.
Cornerback Decamerion Richardson
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 195 pounds
ESPN mock draft: Round 4, pick 115, Cincinnati Bengals
The Athletic mock draft: Round 5, pick 136, Denver Broncos
The Sporting News mock draft: Round 5, pick 163, Buffalo Bills
FantasyPros mock draft: Round 5, pick 150, New Orleans Saints
The 33rd Team mock draft: Round 5, pick 150, New Orleans Saints
Outlook: Richardson followed in a long line of top MSU cover corners, most recently Martin Emerson and Emmanuel Forbes. Opposing teams seldom threw the ball his way in 2023 and he did not come up with an interception, but he still finished with 79 tackles and seven pass breakups. Most draft experts see Richardson being selected early in Day 3.
Linebacker Nathaniel “Bookie” Watson
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 245 pounds
ESPN: Undrafted
The Athletic: Round 6, pick 189, Houston Texans
The Sporting News: Round 6, pick 204, Buffalo Bills
FantasyPros: Round 6, pick 180, New England Patriots
The 33rd Team: Round 6, pick 207, Denver Broncos
Outlook: Watson was MSU’s best player in 2023, leading the Southeastern Conference in tackles from the middle linebacker spot and earning a long list of postseason accolades, including AP SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The general consensus seems to have Watson going in the sixth round.
Defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 305 pounds
ESPN: Undrafted
The Athletic: Round 6, pick 180, New England Patriots
The Sporting News: Round 6, pick 181, Los Angeles Chargers
FantasyPros: Round 7, pick 240, Carolina Panthers
The 33rd Team: Round 7, pick 224, Cincinnati Bengals
Outlook: Crumedy put together a strong six-year career with the Bulldogs, continuing in a long tradition of outstanding defensive linemen. He had a career-best 2.5 sacks in his final season and is expected to be a late-round selection.
Wide receiver/kick returner Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 180 pounds
ESPN: Undrafted
The Athletic: Round 7, pick 245, Green Bay Packers
The Sporting News: Round 6, pick 216, Dallas Cowboys
FantasyPros: Undrafted
The 33rd Team: Undrafted
Outlook: Griffin is an intriguing prospect because of his versatility, and with the NFL changing its rules regarding kickoffs, players like Griffin could benefit. He set the program’s single-game receiving yards record with 256 in September at South Carolina, but is on the fringe of most draft discussions, with just two of the five mock drafts including him at all.
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