Wednesday is National Signing Day for the early signing period, meaning Class of 2022 football recruits can officially ink their national letters of intent.

Mississippi State has 16 commits in next year’s recruiting class, which ranks 28th overall and 10th in the Southeastern Conference, according to 247 Sports.

Here’s a look at each of the Bulldogs’ 2022 pledges as signing day nears.

The Dispatch will look at other Mississippi State recruiting targets Wednesday.

Marquez Dortch

George County

Position: Wide receiver, 4 stars

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 175 pounds

The only four-star prospect in Mississippi State’s recruiting class, Dortch decommitted from Ole Miss on Nov. 14 and chose the Bulldogs the next day. The No. 5 recruit in the state of Mississippi, Dortch announced he will sign at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Should Dortch see the field as a freshman, he will be another speedy target for quarterback Will Rogers in 2022.

Javae Gilmore

Amite City, Louisiana

Position: Linebacker, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 200 pounds

From the same high school and playing the same position as current Bulldogs star Tyrus Wheat, Gilmore tweeted he will sign Wednesday. He will give the Bulldogs depth at outside linebacker with the transfer of Aaron Brule to Michigan State.

Donterry Russell

Provine

Position: Edge rusher, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 200 pounds

Russell is the brother of Mississippi State defensive end De’Monte Russell. The Bulldogs didn’t have a great pass rush in 2021 with defensive end Jordan Davis out for the season because of a reported ACL injury, but the younger Russell could help change that.

Khalid Moore

Poplarville

Position: Linebacker, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 206 pounds

Moore is an outside linebacker who also can help the Bulldogs replace Brule. He committed to Mississippi State on March 3 and said he will sign at 1 p.m. Wednesday. 

Braedyn Locke

Rockwall, Texas

Position: Quarterback, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 195 pounds

Locke, an extremely productive high school quarterback, could be the heir apparent to Will Rogers. He broke the state’s Class 6A career passing touchdown record this year. He’ll join Rogers, fellow Texan Sawyer Robertson and others in the Bulldogs’ quarterback room.

Lucas Taylor

Mobile, Alabama (St. Paul’s Episcopal)

Position: Offensive lineman, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 310 pounds

Taylor, the brother of former Mississippi State softball player Kylie Taylor, is from south Mississippi but attends St. Paul’s. He projects to give the Bulldogs some help on the interior of the offensive line.

Zavion Thomas

Marrero, Louisiana (John Ehret)

Position: Wide receiver, 3 stars

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 190 pounds

Thomas pledged to Mississippi State just hours before the start of the Egg Bowl on Nov. 25. Thomas joins a wide receiver room that got considerably deeper with the addition of Makai Polk from Cal and the breakouts of Rara Thomas and Christian Ford.

R.J. Moss

Biloxi

Position: Defensive lineman, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 245 pounds

Moss announced he will sign with the Bulldogs at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Moss was one of five Bulldogs commits on the roster for the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star game, including Dortch, Moore, Trent Singleton and Jarnorris Hopson.

Dakota Jordan

Jackson Academy

Position: Running back, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 220 pounds

Jordan committed to Mississippi State in December 2020 to play baseball as well as football. Jordan, an outfielder in baseball, was an MAIS all-star at running back in his final season. He’ll be behind Jo’quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson as well as rising sophomores Simeon Price and Ke’Travion Hargrove on the Bulldogs’ depth chart.

Kaydin Pope

Savannah, Tennessee (Hardin County)

Position: Wide receiver, 3 stars

Height: 6-0.5

Weight: 175 pounds

Pope committed to Mississippi State on Nov. 24, a day before Thomas made it two wide receiver pledges in as many days for the Bulldogs. He had offers from his home-state Volunteers as well as Michigan, Ole Miss, Cincinnati, Auburn and more.

Trent Singleton

Raymond

Position: Defensive back, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 190 pounds

Mississippi State and Indiana were Singleton’s lone Power Five offers, and he chose the Bulldogs on May 23. Singleton, a quarterback/defensive back for Raymond, will play in the secondary full time for Mississippi State, per 247 Sports.

Jarnorris Hopson

Horn Lake

Position: Wide receiver, 3 stars

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 175 pounds

The Horn Lake receiver played in Saturday’s Mississippi/Alabama game in Montgomery. Hopson said he will sign with the Bulldogs at noon Wednesday. He committed to MSU on April 25.

Wesley Miller

Heritage Academy

Position: Safety, 3 stars

Height: 5-foot-10.5

Weight: 184 pounds

Miller is the lone Dispatch-area player in the Bulldogs’ 2022 class. He starred on both sides of the ball for the Patriots, also showing his speed and athleticism as a running back. He scored a touchdown and had a game-sealing interception in the MAIS Class 5A championship against Copiah Academy on Nov. 19. Miller will sign at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Audavion Collins

Covington, Georgia (Newton)

Position: Cornerback, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 165 pounds

Collins committed Aug. 25 and will give Mississippi State cornerback depth with the expected departure of Martin Emerson for the NFL draft.

Jackson Cannon

McDonough, Georgia (Ola)

Position: Offensive lineman, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 310 pounds

Another Georgia product, Cannon is a large offensive tackle who will help the Bulldogs weather the likely losses of both starting tackles from 2021, Charles Cross and Scott Lashley. Cannon committed March 1.

Jakson LaHue

Azle, Texas

Position: Offensive lineman, 3 stars

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 285 pounds

Mississippi State coaches paid LaHue an in-home visit Dec. 6, the same day he decommitted from Virginia Tech. LaHue committed to MSU on Friday, becoming the Bulldogs’ 16th commit.

Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.