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Mississippi State Didn’t Secure the Borders of Mississippi in 2016

By Josh Barnhill

Sep 19, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs mascot Bully is seen on the field before the game against the Northwestern State Demons at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State won 62-13. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs mascot Bully is seen on the field before the game against the Northwestern State Demons at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State won 62-13. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mississippi State had a lot of trouble getting the state’s top football talent to stay home in 2016.

When Dan Mullen arrived at Mississippi State he made the proclamation that he would lock down the borders of Mississippi and win with in-state talent….plus a handful of guys within a five hour radius of Starkville. He has pretty much delivered on that promise, but in 2016 he’s let a lot of players slip through his fingertips.

In 2015, Mullen raked up in-state. Eight of the the top 10 football players in the Magnolia state signed/committed to MSU:

More from Mississippi State Football Recruiting

  1. Javon Patterson – Ole Miss
  2. Leo Lewis – MSU
  3. Jamal Peters – MSU
  4. Armani Linton – Ole Miss
  5. Fletcher Adams – MSU
  6. Chris Stamps – MSU
  7. Malik Dear – MSU
  8. Mark McLaurin – MSU
  9. Cameron Myers – MSU*
  10. Tommy Champion – MSU*

*committed to MSU but had to go to junior college.

In 2014, MSU got four of the top 10: Aeries Williams (5), Jamoral Graham (7), Jesse Jackson (8) and Gerri Green (10).

In 2013, it was five of the top 10: Chris Jones (1), Ashton Shumpert (4), Jake Thomas (5), Gabe Myles (7) and Kent Flowers (8).

In 2012, four of the top 10: Nick James (4), Quay Evans (5), A.J. Jefferson (6) and Richie Brown (8).

You get the picture.

In 2016, he got three players to stay home. Mullen was saved on National Signing Day when two of those players decided on the Bulldogs including #1 prospect Jeffrey Simmons. The other two (Kobe Jones and Marquiss Spencer) were ranked 9th and 10th in Mississippi; and while it didn’t turn out to be a complete bust, there were some big whiffs.

Related Story: Jeffrey Simmons Saves the 2016 Class

The 2016 class will likely be remembered as the class that could have been. The #2 player in the state was A.J. Brown right out of Starkville High School. He was considering MSU, of course, but ended up at Ole Miss after not feeling wanted by Mullen and Co.

Three of the state’s top 10 prospects went to Alabama. Two of them – Scott Lashley and Raekwon Davis – were once committed to MSU. The other, Nigel Knott, was considering State until the week of NSD when he chose the Tide.

In 2015, Mississippi State was able to mop up in the state. But this year, those four elite talents chose to go elsewhere. If just two of them stay home, the Bulldogs end up with a top 25 class and are feeling pretty good right now.

I’ll leave you with Fletcher Cox’s words on the subject….

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