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Dan Mullen: Top 5 Recruiting Misses

By Justin Strawn

Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen watches a highlight video during the senior night program before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium Mississippi won 38-27.. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen watches a highlight video during the senior night program before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium Mississippi won 38-27.. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen watches a highlight video during the senior night program before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium Mississippi won 38-27.. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen watches a highlight video during the senior night program before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium Mississippi won 38-27.. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /

Dan Mullen has often been criticized for his inability to fend off other schools for sought after recruits.

There has been quite a bit of angst about the 2016 Mississippi State football signing class. The class is just barely in the top 40 as of when I started writing this piece. We found out Dan Mullen missed on Scott Lashley, one of the most coveted offensive line prospects in the state from West Point to Alabama,  which only adds to this belief about Dan Mullen’s recruiting prowess, or lack thereof. Mississippi State’s chances for landing A.J. Brown and Jeffrey Simmons don’t look too good either.

There are a number of prospects that other schools were able to beat out Dan Mullen and the Mississippi State coaching staff for through the seven years Dan Mullen has been in Starkville. You might think this piece is done to run Mullen into the ground, but it really isn’t. There is only one player on the list who had a prolific career in his time playing for the school that he left the Bulldogs high and dry to play for.

Losing out on recruits can be frustrating. But as you go through this list, let it be a reminder that Dan Mullen always has a backup plan. And that backup plan normally turns out pretty well in the long run. And one more thing that adds to the sting of these players is the fact that most signed with Ole Miss instead of Mississippi State.

The 2016 class Dan Mullen has signed isn’t as highly rated as last season’s class. It doesn’t mean the world is coming to an end, and it certainly doesn’t mean the Bulldogs are destined for the SEC West cellar in the years to come. We’ll find out just how good or bad this crop of players over the next four to five years.

Next: The highly rated JUCO Defensive Back

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