A National Signing Day event held at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex on Wednesday gave fans an in-depth look inside Mississippi State University’s 2014 football signing class. Head Coach Dan Mullen said he not only looks for athleticism in his recruits, but also character and intelligence. 
“When you look at the class as a whole, I’m really excited about not just the quality of players coming in, but also the character of players coming in. That to me is really important in what we’ve tried to build here and what we think is important,” Mullen said. “To me, when you look at the class, it is headlined by Gerri Green. He has all the tools and is a big-time linebacker. We’ve had him in camp and got to work with him, but then he has all the leadership and character you’re looking for. That’s the type of guys who you look for.”
The quality of an athlete is vital to the program, and Mullen said he values leadership skills when recruiting new players. Green will soon be a graduate of Greenville-Weston High School and is most likely to be valedictorian of his class. Ranked as the No. 12 prospect in the state by ESPN.com, Green racked up 98 tackles, broke up seven passes and forced several fumbles during his senior year in high school. 
The Bulldogs will also welcome quarterback Elijah Staley, who played five games as a senior while completing over 60 percent of his passes for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. His size and athletic ability contribute to his rank as the 18th-best high school quarterback in the country, according to ESPN.com. Although he is involved in other sports at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga., Mullen complimented Staley’s natural throwing ability and smooth passing techniques. 
“It’s a good day for Mississippi State basketball as well as football, with getting Elijah. He’s a guy, who when you look at his skill set of what he can do, he has size, he has great athletic ability, he’s a very natural thrower and the ball comes out his hands smooth. There’s no wind up or elongated motion. He’s an accurate passer,” Mullen said. “When you take the natural things that he has and get him coached up, you’re going to get a good football player. You’re looking right now at a guy who hasn’t gone through many off seasons. He goes from football right into basketball, to AAU and right back into football. Now he is going to get into a little bit more of a structured training session. He has a chance to be a very special player.”
The Bulldog football team has will seek to fill key positions, losing projected second-round draft pick Gabe Jackson to the NFL Draft along with Tyler Russell, LaDarius Perkins and Nickoe Whitley.  Mullen said the new signing class has good balance, besides academic concerns that could hinder a small number of the players. With multiple seniors returning to the offensive line, Bulldog fans should be looking out for an explosive offensive line that includes Deion Calhoun, a Restoration Academy senior and the No. 7 offensive lineman in the state. Mullen said Calhoun has the athleticism that is important to the team’s success. 
“Deion Calhoun is a guy who we had in camp who is extremely athletic. When you got to watch him play at Restoration Academy, he played at a small football school. One thing you noticed about him is that he’s got the size. He was 6-foot-3 320-plus on his visit here,” he said. “When you have a guy with that kind of thickness and explosiveness, with the athleticism that he has, he is a guy we will really need.”
The Dogs also inked defensive lineman Braxton Hoyett and Cory Thomas, and Mullen said both athletes have an opportunity to see playing time next season. 
“The defensive line is obviously of huge, huge importance to us. When you look at the inside guys we got, Braxton Hoyett and Cory Thomas will be huge for us. Those are guys who are going to have to make immediate impacts. It might not be in game one next year, but it’s going to be in a hurry with four senior defensive tackles on the roster for next season.”
Hoyett, who also celebrated his birthday Wednesday, tweeted the reason he picked MSU was because of the Bulldog coaching staff.
“I wanna give a shoutout to the best coaches in the nation @CoachDanMullen @CoachCollins @coachdt48 y’all are the reason I chose this place!”
The Bulldogs kick off the 2014 season Aug. 30 against Southern Mississippi in Davis Wade Stadium.