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Mississippi State must continue strong in-state recruiting
By Dave Holcomb
Published:
The Egg Bowl provides bragging rights to the victorious Mississippi school every season, but it also leads to better in-state recruits.
Mississippi State has done a pretty solid job of recruiting under coach Dan Mullen. But for the most part, the Bulldogs have not landed big-time recruits like other teams in the SEC West. To keep up with the rising Ole Miss Rebels, Mississippi State will have to kept recruiting well inside the Magnolia State.
In Mullen’s first five seasons, the Bulldogs grabbed the most top 10 in-state recruits in Mississippi, landing 10 more than Ole Miss.
That has changed, however, since 2014. Over the last three seasons, including this recruiting class, Ole Miss has recruited more top 10 in-state commits than Mississippi State.
It is probably no coincidence that since 2013, the Bulldogs are 1-2 in the Egg Bowl. Over the prior four years, Mississippi State was 3-1 versus Ole Miss.
Here is a breakdown of top 10 Mississippi high school football players, according to 247 Sports, that have committed to Mississippi State under Mullen.
| Year | Player | In-state Ranking |
| 2009 | Chad Bumphis, WR | Second |
| Fletcher Cox, DT | Third | |
| Josh Boyd, DT | Fourth | |
| Tyler Russell, QB | Sixth | |
| Chris Smith, WR | Ninth | |
| Dennis Thames, ATH | 10th | |
| 2010 | Damien Robinson, OT | Second |
| Kaleb Eulls, DE | Sixth | |
| Matthew Wells, ATH | Eighth | |
| Robert Johnson, WR | Ninth | |
| Michael Carr, WR | 10th | |
| 2011 | Dee Arrington, S | Fifth |
| P.J. Jones, DE | Seventh | |
| James Maiden, DT | 10th | |
| 2012 | Quay Evans, DT | Third |
| Nick James, DT | Fourth | |
| A.J. Jefferson, DE | Seventh | |
| Richie Brown, ILB | Eighth | |
| Xavier Grindle, RB | 10th | |
| 2013 | Chris Jones, DE | First |
| Ashton Shumpert, S | Fourth | |
| Jake Thomas, OT | Sixth | |
| Brandon Wells, ATH | Eighth | |
| Gabe Myles, CB | Ninth | |
| 2014 | Jamoral Graham, ATH | Sixth |
| Aeris Williams, RB | Seventh | |
| Gerri Green, ATH | Eighth | |
| Jesse Jackson, WR | 10th | |
| 2015 | Jamal Peters, S | Second |
| Leo Lewis, ILB | Third | |
| Fletcher Adams, DE | Fourth | |
| Malik Dear, ATH | Fifth | |
| Timothy Washington, OLB | Ninth | |
| 2016 | Marquiss Spencer, DE | Ninth |
As the chart shows, the quantity of top 10 players is there for Mississippi State but not necessarily the quality. The Bulldogs have landed the top recruit in the state just once under Mullen. That one top recruit was five-star DT Chris Jones, who didn’t become an impact player.
The other disappointment for Mississippi State is just one top 10 in-state recruit in 2016. But that could change in a few days.
Mississippi State still has a chance to sign DE Jeffery Simmons, WR A.J. Brown, OT Scott Lashley and DT Kobe Jones. That would certainly help the Bulldogs’ class, which ranks 12th in the SEC.
With Ole Miss’ out-of-state recruiting seemingly getting better every year, Mississippi State will have to win the Magnolia State to keep up.
Dave covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
