STARKVILLE — The work is never finished for Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen.
One week after putting the final touches on his finest season since taking over the program six years ago, Mullen has turned his focus on finalizing the 2015 edition of the Bulldogs. With recruiting winding down, Mullen has less than a month to complete his team’s latest recruiting class prior to National Signing Day on Feb. 4.
According to at least one expert, Mullen’s newest haul of prospects could go down as Mullen’s best in Starkville.
“I think that’s fair to say,” said Steve Roberson, co-publisher on Genespage.com and recruiting expert for Scout.com, when asked if the latest crop of recruits ranks as Mullen’s top class. “A lot of that will depend on how it closes. As long as he closes by addressing his team’s needs, which looks like at least one more defensive lineman and one or two more offensive linemen, then this class will have everything you’re looking for as a Mississippi State fan.”
Others have noticed, too. MSU’s recruiting class, which has 26 players — 23 from high school, three from the junior college ranks — checks in at No. 15 in the country, according to Scout. The class is ranked No. 19 nationally by 247sports.com and No. 21 by Rivals.com.
The class is headlined by a number of consensus four-star prospects, including safety prospect Jamal Peters, a three-time state champion at Class 2A Bassfield High School. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Peters is called “one of the best safety prospects we’ve ever had in this state,” by Roberson. He is joined by fellow four-star prospects Malik Dear, a running back from Murrah High in Jackson; running back Nick Gibson, a tailback out of Pinson Valley, Alabama; Fletcher Adams, a defensive tackle from Brandon; and junior college offensive tackle Martinas Rankin, who will be one of five enrollees for the spring semester.
Roberson praised Peters, a U.S. Army All-American, for “never letting a moment get too big for him. No matter the stage, whether it’s the Mississippi-Alabama game or the state championship game, he was one of the best players on the field.”
At an average ranking of 18, MSU’s latest class would be its highest rated since 2012, a haul that included current starters like linebacker Beniquez Brown and offensive lineman Justin Senior.
While the rankings are good, Mullen’s most productive recruiting classes often have been under the radar. One such group was the 2011 class that featured future stars like linebacker Benardrick McKinney, tailback Josh Robinson, defensive end Preston Smith, and quarterback Dak Prescott.
Asked which of MSU’s current commitments could be underrated like Prescott, Roberson was quick to name Collins safety Mark McLaurin.
“(McLaurin) is an NFL guy,” Roberson said. “With his size, his versatility, he is very undervalued as a prospect. He and Jamal Peters are also very close, and they could grow into becoming one of the best safety units in the country.”
MSU’s five early enrollees, who will be on campus for spring practice, include Rankin, tailback Malik Dear, athlete Deddrick Thomas, junior college defensive end Johnathan Calvin, and Donald Gray, a junior college All-American who fills an immediate need.
“He is a finisher,” Roberson said of Gray, who signed with the Bulldogs out of high school two years ago. “If you watch the film on him, one thing that stands out is if you miss a tackle, it’s a touchdown. A lot of guys, if you miss a tackle, it costs you 10 yards. But with Donald, he’s so good in the open field he can turn that missed tackle into six points.”
Like most of MSU’s recruiting classes under Mullen, the latest is stocked with Mississippi-born players, true to his much-publicized desire to win with in-state products.
“We’ve recruited the state hard,” Mullen said earlier this season. “With our coaches, I think there is a lot of confidence in their evaluations of players here in Mississippi. We’ve been evaluating lots of these guys for years.”
MSU will play host to the bulk of its in-state commitments the weekend of Jan. 16. The Bulldogs’ out-of-state targets will make official visits to the school the weekend of Jan. 23.
MSU still has room for at least two new signees. According to Roberson, high school seniors who could be in line for the final spots include a number of offensive linemen and one local wide receiver.
“I look at a guy like Nathan Gilliam, who is an offensive lineman currently committed to Wake Forest, and maybe Gabe Campbell, who is committed to Oklahoma,” Roberson said. “I also think a guy like Starkville wide receiver Raphael Leonard is a kid who could be in line for an offer.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
