The Mississippi State signing class is chock-full of homegrown Mississippi talent. MSU head coach Dan Mullen has expressed his desire to dominate the home turf, so expect to see this fad continue throughout his coaching tenure.
“Over the last two years we’ve been here, we’ve signed twice as many players than Southern Miss from the state of Mississippi and three times as many as the school up north,” Mullen said. “We’re really happy with how the young men in this state are deciding to get behind us.”
The offensive side of the ball called for a balanced recruiting class. MSU lost some running backs, but already had some young depth in place. MSU will lose several offensive linemen after this year so signing a few of those was vital, but signing the big maulers up front is important every year.
Offensive coordinator Les Koenning took an overall look at the offensive class more so than a specific look at any individual position.
“I am most happy with the overall depth this class provides. We feel like we strengthened ourselves at all 11 positions,” Koenning said.
While an overall depth viewpoint has been taken from coaches and recruiting evaluators alike, MSU did add some instant help at certain positions, and speed is a theme all the way up front. The longer Mullen is here, the faster the team will be, and this recruiting class is just further proof.
Offensive Line: The offensive line is headlined by Olive Branch tackle Damien Robinson. He is a 6’8″ 330-pound Army All-American who received offers from Oklahoma, LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss, among others. He has the feet and the size to develop into a superstar if he gains the killer instinct required for success in the SEC. Eric Lawson, Robinson’s teammate, also inked with the Dawgs after the team expressed some late interest. Lawson is a 6’7″ 330-pound guard who is a little more undeveloped than Robinson, but possesses a great amount of upside. Lawson also had offers from Texas Tech and Memphis. MSU continued its trend of signing large offensive linemen with the addition of Blaine Causell, a 6’6″ 295-pound tackle. Causell has been on campus since January and the coaches believe he could help the Bulldogs early in his career.
Archie Muniz, out of Houston, Texas, is another tackle and at 6’6″ 275 pounds he also has room to grow. His quick feet and his mean streak helped him tender offers from Oklahoma State, Utah and Northwestern. Dillon Day is the final OL addition of the class, and the meanest of all. At 6’4″ 275, Day is smaller than the rest, but do not let this fool you – Day has great athletic ability and is a fierce competitor who plays until the whistle blows.
Running Back: MSU also signed some future impact players at running back. Vick Ballard will provide immediate help after being the most prolific running back in junior college last season, garnering him first Team NJCAA All-America honors. At 6’0″ 210-pounds, he has the size to be an every down back in the SEC.
Recruiting analyst for Scout.com Steve Robertson said he believes Ballard was a key for MSU’s signing class.
“Vick Ballard looks to be a bit of a stop gap between the departed seniors and the talent of the future,” Robertson said. “Ballard can provide some veteran leadership at the position while the younger guys learn the ropes.”
Matt Wells is an electric running back out of Lawrence County who received national attention. At 6’2″ 210 pounds, Wells has a big stride and the ability to run away from defenders. Wells was the No. 17 running back in the nation, according to Scout.com and received offers from Ole Miss, Stanford and Tennessee, among others. Nick Griffin is the workhorse back of the class. He is only 5’11” 195 pounds, but do not let his size fool you; he is a load to take down, and he punishes linebackers and safeties at the second level.
Jamerson Love is a speedster out of Aberdeen who looks to play corner but could also get looks at running back. Wells and Griffin both have the ability to excel at safety if running back does not work out.
Wide Receiver: State signed immediate help at the receiver position and some receivers who compliment one another. Michael Carr is considered the top in-state receiver by many. At 6’1″ 205 pounds, Carr possesses the ability to break tackles and he also has the speed to outrun defenders. Carr has been labeled “Batman” by many because of his ability to succeed at any position.
Robert Johnson of Oak Grove is another receiver who was highly recruited, receiving offers from FSU, Ole Miss and Auburn, as well as others. Johnson is 6’0″ 200-pounds with speed to burn and amazing elusiveness.
Malcom Johnson is a guy who can play receiver or make the move up to flex tight end. Malcom stands 6’2″ 205 pounds and has big strong hands and great leaping ability – he is expected to help the Dawgs in the red zone.
Jameon Lewis out of Tylertown is an electric playmaker who was signed as an athlete and can play corner but should also get a look at slot receiver.
Quarterback: At quarterback, the Bulldogs signed Dylan Favre out of St. Stanislaus. The knock on Favre is his 5’10” 195-pound body, but he has had an incredible career garnering him numerous awards including Parade All-American and MS Gatorade Player of the Year. The coaches are extremely excited about Dylan’s arrival on campus and believe he has the physical tools as well as the heart and competitive nature to succeed. He is reputed to be a great leader, so look for him to command the huddle and the direction of the offense quite well.
Overall, the theme of this class is completeness and depth. At offensive line, MSU signed its biggest class in years, and everywhere else MSU added superior speed and a good blend of complimentary players at all positions. Look for at least three or four of these guys to help the team immediately, and the experiment of players at several positions to determine the position which provides the greatest opportunity to succeed.
Mullen said he believes this class has the attributes he needs in players which will lead to further success of the football team.
“I’m excited about the talent we’re bringing in here, we have a lot of talented football players in this recruiting class,” Mullen said. ” I’m even more excited about the character and the students that we’re bringing in.”