The Mississippi State Bulldogs put the finishing touches on one of its best recruiting classes of the Dan Mullen era Wednesday, adding 28 players including six early enrollees.

Take a look at the class as it stands on Wednesday:

  • Donald Gray, WR, four-star, Wesson, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln Community College) (early enrollee)
  • Martinas Rankin, OT, four-star, Perkinston, Miss. (Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College) (early enrollee)
  • Malik Dear, ATH, four-star, Jackson, Miss. (early enrollee)
  • Deddrick Thomas, ATH, three-star, Memphis, Tenn. (early enrollee)
  • Johnathan Calvin, WR, three-star, Wesson, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln Community College) (early enrollee)
  • Michael Story, OT, three-star, Ripley, Miss. (early enrollee)
  • Jamal Peters, S, four-star, Bassfield, Miss.
  • Leo Lewis, ILB, four-star, Brookhaven, Miss.
  • Fletcher Adams, DE, four-star, Brandon, Miss.
  • Nick Gibson, RB, four-star, Pinson, Ala.
  • Tim Washington, OLB, three-star, Adamsville, Ala.
  • Maurice Smitherman, CB, three-star, Adamsville, Ala.
  • Traver Jung, OLB, three-star, Goodman, Miss. (Holmes Communty College)
  • Daryl Williams, C, three-star, Bessemer, Ala.
  • T.D. Moton, DT, three-star, Shreveport, La.
  • Chris Stamps, CB, three-star, Vicksburg, Miss.
  • Dontea Jones, WR, three-star, Louisville, Miss.
  • Keith Joseph, DE, three-star, Pascagoula, Miss.
  • Mark McLaurin, S, three-star, Collins, Miss.
  • Kendell Jones, DE, three-star, Pinson, Ala.
  • Keith Mixon, RB, three-star, Birmingham, Ala.
  • Alec Murphy, RB, three-star, Nixa, Mo.
  • Justin Johnson, WR, three-star, Birmingham, Ala.
  • Harrison Moon, OT, three-star, Signal Mountain, Ga.
  • Nick Tiano, QB, three-star, Chattanooga, Tenn.
  • Jonnas Spivey, ATH, three-star, Bay Springs, Miss.
  • Anfernee Mullins, DE, three-star, Aliceville, Ala.
  • Farrod Green, WR, three-star, Wesson, Miss.

A NEW CLASS OF TALENT

The Bulldogs ended the day with seven four-star recruits, more than they’ve had in any single class in the Dan Mullen era, dating back to 2009. Furthermore, among the 28 total players in the class there isn’t a single prospect rated worse than three stars in the 247Sports industry composite rankings.

All this talent has funneled to Mississippi State on the heels of the school’s second 10-win season in a span of 70 years. Three of those four-star recruits were early enrollees who arrived in Starkville last month, giving those already talented prospects an extra few months and the spring practice season to improve and find a niche on the 2015 squad.

WINNING THE LEO LEWIS SWEEPSTAKES

Lewis, regarded as the No. 1 inside linebacker prospect in the nation, was committed to Ole Miss as recently as last week, but decommitted from the Rebels while on an official visit to LSU. It appeared based on those circumstances that he was favoring the Tigers, and when he arrived to his signing day press conference with only LSU and Mississippi State caps sitting on the podium, that inference seemed even more likely.

However, it was the maroon Mississippi State cap that wound up on Lewis’ head by the end of the press conference, giving MSU the best possible replacement for Benardrick McKinney, the No. 1 inside linebacker in college football in 2014 who is expected to be a first round pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

If you needed any further evidence of why the Lewis signing is so pivotal to MSU’s program, here’s footage of the Bulldogs war room after learning Lewis is indeed coming to Starkville.

LOCKING DOWN THE MAGNOLIA STATE

Of Mississippi State’s 28 signees on Wednesday, 15 hail from the state of Mississippi, which is critical for the Bulldogs as they continue to grow their brand in one of the richer high school football states in America. Of those 15 in-state signees, every one ranked among the state’s top 50 prospects at either the high school or junior college levels.

Four of those 15 in-state recruits come from the state’s stellar junior college league, regarded as one of the best in the nation. If Mullen can continue to garner positives relationships within that league, it will only stand to benefit Mississippi State going forward.

One thing’s for certain: this year’s class gives new meaning to MSU’s slogan “This is our state.”

DEPTH TO THE CLASS

With 28 signees, Mississippi State has one of the largest recruiting classes in the nation as it aims to replace 18 departing seniors as well as departing juniors McKinney and tailback Josh Robinson.