STARKVILLE — Jett Johnson and Nathaniel “Bookie” Watson are not walking through that door.
Mississippi State’s stellar linebacking duo combined for 267 tackles last season, and 228 the year before that. But Watson is now with the Cleveland Browns and Johnson signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets, leaving a void in the heart of the Bulldogs’ defense.
MSU is largely starting over on defense in any case this year — safety Corey Ellington and lineman De’Monte Russell are the only projected returning starters — but no two players alone can replace the production Johnson and Watson provided. Those who were around last year, though, learned a lot from watching Johnson and Watson and working alongside them in practice.
“The physicality the game takes, how hard you have to strain to play linebacker in this league, I really just tried to pick up on that from them,” redshirt junior Nic Mitchell said. “You just show up day by day, keep chopping wood.”
Mitchell has gradually worked his way into regular playing time, playing in just two games as a true freshman in 2021 and mostly working on special teams in 2022. Last year, he was still primarily a special teamer but made four tackles in the season opener against Southeastern Louisiana and two more in the Alabama game.
His only other major conference offer out of high school in Jacksonville, Florida, came from Maryland, where Branden Jennings played three years ago as a freshman. Jennings, who is also from Jacksonville, is at his fourth school in as many years — he played in eight games, starting three, for the Terrapins in 2021, then made four appearances the next year at UCF before leading Hinds Community College in tackles last year.
“If anybody has the most faith in my abilities, it’s definitely me, and I feel like I’m going to put that on display this season and carry on where I left off,” Jennings said. “Nobody loves football more than me. I love football. It wouldn’t matter if we’re having a good day or bad day, I’m going to come back ready tomorrow at practice.”
The Bulldogs also added an established Southeastern Conference starter in Stone Blanton, who grew up in Jackson and was once an MSU baseball commit before choosing football and South Carolina.
Blanton said it was “unreal” to put on his Bulldogs jersey and walk into Davis Wade Stadium as a player. He faced MSU last September in Columbia, finishing with four tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup in a 37-30 Gamecocks victory.
“This is the place where I’ve been growing up, and I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity,” Blanton said. “(Johnson and Watson) were insane. I watched those guys last year when I was playing just to see how they were doing and what they were doing. I always kind of kept up with them. Bookie and Jett were fantastic linebackers. We just have to do our jobs and do what we can for the defense.”
The Bulldogs are likely sticking with a 3-3-5 base defense under new coordinator Coleman Hutzler, also the linebackers coach. John Lewis and Donterry Russell flashed potential in part-time roles last fall and have the inside track to start, while Zakari Tillman played mostly special teams as a true freshman but is ready for a bigger role.
“I’m really happy with where the room is at right now,” Hutzler said. “Obviously getting Stone back home has been huge. John Lewis, who made the transition to playing more true inside backer, has had a great spring and summer. Really the group as a whole, Nic Mitchell, Zakari Tillman is a young guy who has a lot of promise. I’m excited.”
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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 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
