2025 MSU Football Recruiting Thread

[Goldendawg]

AJ Rice - Madison Academy, Madison, AL., Edge, 6' 2" 240, .88, committed 9/4/23.

KaMario Taylor - Noxabee Co, Macon, MS ATH (Tearing it up in QB camps), 6'4" 180, .88, committed 10/13/23.

Jack Richardson - Madison Central, Madison, MS, Punter (#1 in State), 6'2" 210, .80 committed 3/34/24.

Tyshun Willis - Velma Jackson, Camden, MS, LB, 6'2" 220, .90, committed 4/22/24.

Ranked #58 at this time. Does not include Portal RB & DB.

NOTE: Maybe someone can stick this to top of threads as I don't know how. Hail State!

[ScoobaDawg]

Done. Yea its that time I guess.

[DEDawg]

Caleb Cunningham should tell you everything you need to know about 1) this staff ability to recruit and 2) our NIL as a whole. 5 star local kid who we have the lead on. If we can't land him, one of those 2 things is seriously flawed. I expect it to be a very bumpy recruitment either way, but we will see how it plays out.

[Todd4State]

Caleb Cunningham should tell you everything you need to know about 1) this staff ability to recruit and 2) our NIL as a whole. 5 star local kid who we have the lead on. If we can't land him, one of those 2 things is seriously flawed. I expect it to be a very bumpy recruitment either way, but we will see how it plays out.

He's a priority. I think we have a good chance.

[Bothrops]

We have a good chance with Cunningham but.......we won't compete with his NIL offers and will have to win him over on propriety. He's Lebby's baby.

[KOdawg1]

Should get our share in-state.

[BigDawg81]

Should get our share in-state. We are looking pretty good with the in-state guys right now but it?s still a ways to go.
State are favorites with
Cunningham #1 player by 247 and On3
Lockhart #4 player by 247 #6 by On3
Oatis # 6 player by 247 #8 by On3
Nash #9 player by 247 and #11 by On3
Thomas #13 player by 247 and #10 by On3

Taylor is commited which is the #14 player by 247 and #9 by On3
Willis is committed #8 player by 247 and #12 by On3

[msstate7]

Delete

[Todd4State]

We are looking pretty good with the in-state guys right now but it?s still a ways to go.
State are favorites with
Cunningham #1 player by 247 and On3
Lockhart #4 player by 247 #6 by On3
Oatis # 6 player by 247 #8 by On3
Willis #8 player by 247 and #12 by On3
Nash #9 player by 247 and #11 by On3
Thomas #13 player by 247 and #10 by On3

Taylor is commited which the #14 player by 247 and #9 by On3

Willis is also committed.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Caleb Cunningham should tell you everything you need to know about 1) this staff ability to recruit and 2) our NIL as a whole. 5 star local kid who we have the lead on. If we can't land him, one of those 2 things is seriously flawed. I expect it to be a very bumpy recruitment either way, but we will see how it plays out.

We have to be competitive. He wants to play here and his family wants him here. We just have to be competitive on the field and with his NIL offer.

[Cooterpoot]

We have a good chance with Cunningham but.......we won't compete with his NIL offers and will have to win him over on propriety. He's Lebby's baby.

Not true

[DEDawg]

We just picked up Trent Hudson in the portal. UNM WR transfer with 1 year left

[Todd4State]

We just picked up Trent Hudson in the portal. UNM WR transfer with 1 year left

I fully expect our next two teams at least to be portal heavy while Lebby reboots our recruiting.

We really need to get an EDGE rusher and another CB.

[Pancho]

Was and Edge guy not visiting campus over the weekend?

[BigDawg81]

I have a feeling that the Indiana corner will commit. We need a P5 corner with starting experience.

[Bothrops]

Lockhart to Auburn. Man we're a tough row to hoe.

[Tripp McNeely]

Lockhart to Auburn. Man we're a tough row to hoe.

No inside info here, but from everything I've heard, sounds like Auburn paid him to verbal, but he'll sign with the good guys when it matters!

[Cooterpoot]

That defensive staff isn't really going to do a thing until they show they can coach and we decide to spend NIL on defense

[StarkVegasSteve]

Lockhart to Auburn. Man we're a tough row to hoe.

Optics aren't great but he'll end up with us. Too much family and friends pressure to not.

[Bothrops]

No inside info here, but from everything I've heard, sounds like Auburn paid him to verbal, but he'll sign with the good guys when it matters!

When was the last time we flipped a commit from Auburn? I can't remember it ever happening.

[KOdawg1]

This defensive coaching staff is ass at recruiting.

Like absolutely atrocious

[Todd4State]

This defensive coaching staff is ass at recruiting.

Like absolutely atrocious

It's really puzzling to me why it seems like we can't get both on the same page.

[Todd4State]

That defensive staff isn't really going to do a thing until they show they can coach and we decide to spend NIL on defense

It looks like we're following the Kiffin/Ole Miss model of build a high scoring exciting offense and then worry about defense later.

[Mjoelner34]

It looks like we're following the Kiffin/Ole Miss model of build a high scoring exciting offense and then worry about defense later.

If you watched the Alamo Bowl last year, that's exactly what the announcers said that Jed Fisch said you should do. As Fisch told them, "Nobody, not even defensive players, wants to play for a team that doesn't score."

[Todd4State]

If you watched the Alamo Bowl last year, that's exactly what the announcers said that Jed Fisch said you should do. As Fisch told them, "Nobody, not even defensive players, wants to play for a team that doesn't score."

It makes sense. Even though it counterintuitive to the old school defense wins championships mantra.

[Bothrops]

This defensive coaching staff is ass at recruiting.

Like absolutely atrocious

It's more about being the ugliest and poorest bloke at the debutante ball.

[StarkVegasSteve]

This may be uncomfortable for some. But maybe it's time to reevaluate David Turner's place on the staff. The guys we seem to be missing on are almost all on the DLine. We're filling at other positions fine, but that's the one place that development has not been great and neither has recruiting.

[BigDawg81]

This may be uncomfortable for some. But maybe it's time to reevaluate David Turner's place on the staff. The guys we seem to be missing on are almost all on the DLine. We're filling at other positions fine, but that's the one place that development has not been great and neither has recruiting. At least change the recruiting pitch. DLU doesn?t seem to be working anymore.

[Cooterpoot]

This may be uncomfortable for some. But maybe it's time to reevaluate David Turner's place on the staff. The guys we seem to be missing on are almost all on the DLine. We're filling at other positions fine, but that's the one place that development has not been great and neither has recruiting.

Nah, we're going to sign our share of DL instate this year and no, we aren't doing well at other spots either. We aren't spending big money on defense, plain and simple.

[Todd4State]

Nah, we're going to sign our share of DL instate this year and no, we aren't doing well at other spots either. We aren't spending big money on defense, plain and simple.

Because we don't have enough to do so?

[StarkVegasSteve]

Because we don't have enough to do so?

Because Lebby is taking the Kiffin approach. Get a badass offense and just outscore people. The hope is the defense is extremely aggressive the first couple of years and just forces enough TOs.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Montre Miller just committed. A big pickup for the defensive secondary if he can regain his 2021 and 2022 form.

[HoopsDawg]

Montre Miller just committed. A big pickup for the defensive secondary if he can regain his 2021 and 2022 form.

I barely keep anymore. What happened in 2023.

[Todd4State]

Because Lebby is taking the Kiffin approach. Get a badass offense and just outscore people. The hope is the defense is extremely aggressive the first couple of years and just forces enough TOs.

That may not be a bad approach. Especially since even in this NIL era we can still fill some holes with JUCO's on defense and be pretty decent.

Also if Hutzler turns out to be Peter Sirmon 2.0 we have shown that we can attract quality DC's to MSU over the years.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I barely keep anymore. What happened in 2023.

Injured.

[StarkVegasSteve]

That may not be a bad approach. Especially since even in this NIL era we can still fill some holes with JUCO's on defense and be pretty decent.

Also if Hutzler turns out to be Peter Sirmon 2.0 we have shown that we can attract quality DC's to MSU over the years.

I mean if he turns out to be Sirmon 2.0 then oh well. Even when we had Sirmon at least by the end of the year we were damn near scoring at will on people. People forget that outside of the Bama game we avg'd 47 a game in the last 5 games. Throw in the Bama game where we only scored 3 and our avg was still 38 a game. Having a coach that knows the offense he wants to run and is confident in that offense is paramount to success in college football. We didn't have that last year. We had a QB who wanted to run the Air Raid, an OC who wanted to run some sort of zone read Mullenish scheme, and a HC who wanted to run the Power I

[Cooterpoot]

I see we took on another cripple for our defense. We not going cheap, we going full blown scratch and dent.

[Bothrops]

At least change the recruiting pitch. DLU doesn?t seem to be working anymore.

Because of the portal, NIL, two year attrition rate, and emphasis on offense, I think the days of defensive notoriety are a thing of the past for us. That goes for most P5 teams too. We will get a Dandy Dozen player here and there but nothing like the 2010s. The Georgia's and LSU's will still have defense because of brand and NIL capacity. We will essentially become like an old PAC or BiG 12 team. 55-49. It's time to start embracing it, because if we don't assimilate this way, we'll wish we didn't have to play football in 5 years.

[Pancho]

be good staying home and watching on the 90" TV

[SilentSteel16]

You spoke of dandy dozen. It is going to be real interesting seeing the dandy dozen vs the 247/rival top players in the state. That state list on rivals is hilarious. Take a screenshot of top 20 in state now and top 20 in state after football 25 season. Will be vastly different. Mississippi is a very deep state for 2025.

[BankerDog]

Nah, we're going to sign our share of DL instate this year and no, we aren't doing well at other spots either. We aren't spending big money on defense, plain and simple.

Said the same thing last year and looked how that turned out. Simply put-Turner isn?t going to be able to ride guys like he has in the past because of the portal. Simple as that.

[Cooterpoot]

Said the same thing last year and looked how that turned out. Simply put-Turner isn?t going to be able to ride guys like he has in the past because of the portal. Simple as that.

Who did we think we'd get last year with Arnett as HC? There's was no great instate DL last year.

[Cooterpoot]

Because of the portal, NIL, two year attrition rate, and emphasis on offense, I think the days of defensive notoriety are a thing of the past for us. That goes for most P5 teams too. We will get a Dandy Dozen player here and there but nothing like the 2010s. The Georgia's and LSU's will still have defense because of brand and NIL capacity. We will essentially become like an old PAC or BiG 12 team. 55-49. It's time to start embracing it, because if we don't assimilate this way, we'll wish we didn't have to play football in 5 years.

We never beat out those teams for top talent unless we had an in anyway. Little has changed. Those schools will have always recruited above us.

[Bothrops]

We never beat out those teams for top talent unless we had an in anyway. Little has changed. Those schools will have always recruited above us.

Yeah but the difference now is that we won't get more than one of those guys if we're lucky. Used to get 3-4. Im talking defense. The corporate sports world has a grand plan underway. We've seen radical changes made is just a few short years. We aren't even an afterthought. All tradition is going out the window.

[Cooterpoot]

Yeah but the difference now is that we won't get more than one of those guys if we're lucky. Used to get 3-4. Im talking defense. The corporate sports world has a grand plan underway. We've seen radical changes made is just a few short years. We aren't even an afterthought. All tradition is going out the window.

Nah, they still recruit above the guys we recruit. There's no DL in MS that UGA wants this year. We'll get our share. It's no different than it's been except more kids want out of MS. Holding on to OOS kids we sign if they have a good season is a much bigger problem.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Who did we think we'd get last year with Arnett as HC? There's was no great instate DL last year.

We were all told how Turner was going to sell DLU and get at least 1 of Beavers, Rush, Echoles, Franklin, and Waller. We went 0-5. Add that to striking out repeatedly in the portal and it is safe and warranted to wonder if Turner is more hindrance than weapon in recruiting.

[Cooterpoot]

We were all told how Turner was going to sell DLU and get at least 1 of Beavers, Rush, Echoles, Franklin, and Waller. We went 0-5. Add that to striking out repeatedly in the portal and it is safe and warranted to wonder if Turner is more hindrance than weapon in recruiting.

1. Beavers wasn't even a take. The kid isn't good and has had legal issues too. Wasn't even one of the top couple players on a 2A team really.
2. We never recruited Rush at all. We don't think much of him.
3. Franklin was an overpayment for a decent player. We were never going to do that.
4. Waller's handler is the same handler as a couple other recruits who went OOS. Waller is a tweener. I'd bet all of those like him end up in the portal

You know who 17'd up our recruiting? Leach and Arnett did it. Then we brought in a bunch of defensive coaches with no track record at all and a full rebuild staring at us. We'll start investing in defense more later.

[BankerDog]

1. Beavers wasn't even a take. The kid isn't good and has had legal issues too. Wasn't even one of the top couple players on a 2A team really.
2. We never recruited Rush at all. We don't think much of him.
3. Franklin was an overpayment for a decent player. We were never going to do that.
4. Waller's handler is the same handler as a couple other recruits who went OOS. Waller is a tweener. I'd bet all of those like him end up in the portal

You know who 17'd up our recruiting? Leach and Arnett did it. Then we brought in a bunch of defensive coaches with no track record at all and a full rebuild staring at us. We'll start investing in defense more later.

You stated in a post on 3/29/23 ?that if Beavers doesn?t go to AL we get him. Secondly, Emerick screwed up Picayune so don?t expect kids from there.? And now you?re saying Beavers wasn?t a take? So which is it?

Also your comments our defensive stats are a little off base. Hutzler has been at Bama, Barnes was a DC at Ohio State and Memphis, and Turner we know. So hardly a ?staff with no track record? like you?re stating. But that?s par the course, just run off at the mouth and hope it sticks.

[StarkVegasSteve]

1. Beavers wasn't even a take. The kid isn't good and has had legal issues too. Wasn't even one of the top couple players on a 2A team really.
2. We never recruited Rush at all. We don't think much of him.
3. Franklin was an overpayment for a decent player. We were never going to do that.
4. Waller's handler is the same handler as a couple other recruits who went OOS. Waller is a tweener. I'd bet all of those like him end up in the portal

You know who 17'd up our recruiting? Leach and Arnett did it. Then we brought in a bunch of defensive coaches with no track record at all and a full rebuild staring at us. We'll start investing in defense more later.

Then why did you say last year that the 24 recruiting class was a strong defensive class? Also you failed to answer how we miss on Echoles…..from Houston.

[Cooterpoot]

You stated in a post on 3/29/23 ?that if Beavers doesn?t go to AL we get him. Secondly, Emerick screwed up Picayune so don?t expect kids from there.? And now you?re saying Beavers wasn?t a take? So which is it?

Also your comments our defensive stats are a little off base. Hutzler has been at Bama, Barnes was a DC at Ohio State and Memphis, and Turner we know. So hardly a ?staff with no track record? like you?re stating. But that?s par the course, just run off at the mouth and hope it sticks.

And we dropped him, what's the question?

[Cooterpoot]

You stated in a post on 3/29/23 ?that if Beavers doesn?t go to AL we get him. Secondly, Emerick screwed up Picayune so don?t expect kids from there.? And now you?re saying Beavers wasn?t a take? So which is it?

Also your comments our defensive stats are a little off base. Hutzler has been at Bama, Barnes was a DC at Ohio State and Memphis, and Turner we know. So hardly a ?staff with no track record? like you?re stating. But that?s par the course, just run off at the mouth and hope it sticks.

Nobody knows those guys. Hutz has never called defense at a P5 school. Barnes was runoff and only an interim DC at OSU. Memphis wasnt going to keep him. But carry on.

[Cooterpoot]

Then why did you say last year that the 24 recruiting class was a strong defensive class? Also you failed to answer how we miss on Echoles?..from Houston.

Because it initially looked that way. But it became apparent how weak it was last fall, when committable offers didn't materialize for those guys (minus two guys). I'd take two of the guys that were mentioned, but I don't think either will be big difference makers. This year isn't strong either really. Lots of serviceable DL but no real studs.

[Cooterpoot]

Then why did you say last year that the 24 recruiting class was a strong defensive class? Also you failed to answer how we miss on Echoles…..from Houston.

Echoles we just lost but we weren't recruiting him as a DL either

[Bothrops]

We got outbid on most of those DL guys. Echoles we wanted on the OL initially. That kid from Picyune has high potential. We didn't have to legs to interest him.

[Cooterpoot]

We got outbid on most of those DL guys. Echoles we wanted on the OL initially. That kid from Picyune has high potential. We didn't have to legs to interest him.

Except we didn't. We were never getting the kid at Picayune. He had no interest and we pissed off the handler the year before. That handler is sending all his kids OOS. Beavers wasn't a take and neither was Rush. We never really got into bidding for Franklin because he wanted stupid money and frankly wasn't worth it. Echoes was just a loss plain and simple but he had family at OM and a higher bid.