Mississippi State football Signing Day wrap-up: Lockhart signing saves the day

Despite a brutal early blow and incredible drama, it was a mostly solid Signing Day for Mississippi State.

Oct 19, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA;Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby walks down the sideline during the first quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA;Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby walks down the sideline during the first quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Mississippi State football has made it through another National Signing Day. Well, kind of. Technically, Wednesday was just the start of the early signing period. And then there'll still be another signing day in February.

So, there could still be some changes to the Bulldogs' class and everyone else's. But regardless, the group that signed Wednesday makes up the vast majority of the class of 2025. As it stands today, State sits with the #28 class per the 247 Composite Rankings. What are the big takeaways from Signing Day?

Landing Tyler Lockhart despite the craziness was a desperately needed win for Mississippi State

When Tyler Lockhart announced for Ole Miss Wednesday afternoon, things had never looked more dire. But several hours later, a miracle happened that resulted in Lockhart ending up where he was meant to be all along. State's coaching staff needed a win like this to have any sort of momentum going into the offseason. You get an impact player on board and take a shot back at your rivals. That matters, and it's a rallying point for the class.

The loss of Zavion Hardy is brutal for the Bulldogs

The reason the presumed loss of Lockhart made things so dire was because of the official loss of Zavion Hardy earlier in the day. Hardy, a 4-star defensive end and the #1 JUCO prospect, was set to be one of the single most important signees for State had they landed him. They need defensive lineman more than anything, and Hardy would've played a major role in 2025. He became even more crucial considering the other DL prospects they missed on in the class. Instead, he's heading to South Carolina, and State is left without any answers at DL before the portal cycle begins. That's not a good place to be.

KaMario Taylor having a drama-free recruitment is something to celebrate

It's almost flown entirely under the radar that Mississippi State just signed the best QB prospect in school history. KaMario Taylor is an elite prospect with superb athleticism and an incredibly high ceiling. And yet State never had to sweat signing him. He was committed for over a year, and despite a lot of instability at State and bigger name programs coming after him, he never budged. That's a sign that Jeff Lebby did an outstanding job maintaining his commitment, but it's also a sign that he's just a true Bulldog. If you're a State fan, you have to love that such a special player is locked in with this program.

The Bulldogs had a nice haul along the offensive line

Offensive line was a position in need of major upgrades, and State did a nice job of improving things there. They withstood a last-minute surge from Ole Miss to hold onto #1 JUCO tackle Saquon Miles, a player that will have a chance to start in 2025. Fellow JUCO linemen Jahkeem Shumpert and Matthew Lefeau are big bodies to provide much-needed depth. Spencer Dowland is a good pick-up, and Breydon Turnage is an intriguing developmental prospect. This is a good group to work with.

State's secondary class looks good

MSU picked up some good pieces for the backend of the defense. 4-star JUCO and former Alabama safety Tony Mitchell officially signed, giving the Bulldogs an instant impact player in the secondary. A notable win for State, 4-star cornerback Kyle Johnson flipped from Houston to MSU, a very talented pickup. They held onto a longtime commit in safety Lo'Kavion Jackson despite Louisville and Florida State pushing. Safety Sekou Smith Jr. was another solid signee. Despite the frustrations on defense, they're in a decent spot in the secondary.