Recruitniks, what's the final verdict or do we know yet? Do we close with

[msstate7]

Who we finish with? Harris and griffin (fingers crossed)

[Saltydog]

Harris and Griffin? Looks like Smith and Sims are going elsewhere. Is Carter still an option?

[deltadawg99]

Here is my best guess with percentages is:
Harris - 100%
Griffin - 60%
Smith - 50% - depends on if his offer is just a gray shirt from bama and if his parents are willing to foot the bill until his scholarship kicks in.
Thomas - 0%
Carter - 40% - OSU seemed to have gotten an edge heading into the dead period, but who knows.

[quickstrike2]

Harris and Griffin seem to be the only ones still in play in my opinion. I think we get Harris. I think Griffin ends up staying out west, but we do have a realistic chance at him.

[Coach34]

I think the distance ends up being too much for Griffin and we finish a solid class with Harris

[EAVdog]

I think the distance ends up being too much for Griffin and we finish a solid class with Harris

If you are from Washington State, Tempe Arizona is a plane ride away. Once you get on a plane distance doesn't matter so much. I think we have a real angle in that he can play in the SEC. I'm thinking we may end up with Griffin. He got a lot of love from State folks on twitter last night.

[smootness]

Here is my best guess with percentages is:
Harris - 100%
Griffin - 60%
Smith - 50% - depends on if his offer is just a gray shirt from bama and if his parents are willing to foot the bill until his scholarship kicks in.
Thomas - 0%
Carter - 40% - OSU seemed to have gotten an edge heading into the dead period, but who knows.

I think these %s are a little optimistic. I do think Harris is 100%, but the rest I'd put at:

Griffin - 40%
Smith - 30%
Thomas - I'm actually slightly more optimistic on this one, but I'm only going with about 10%
Carter - 25%

I'm just hoping we can somehow pull one of them.

[Saltydog]

guy play and he passes the eye test. Obviously some reason we weren't interested but he appeared to be a good prospect. I think Southern is putting together a decent class by their standards. I really hate losing Price to them. Almost lost Bryant too.

[Goat Holder]

Pretty much just Harris. So in recruitnik terms, it doesn't appear we are closing strong.

But in reality, who cares? We got some good players, including QB and WR, which is atypical for MSU. And people are losing their shit over a bunch of mid-level 3 star type guys (Thomas, Smith, Sims). Carter is a 4 stars, but did anybody really expect to beat Oklahoma State for him? Dallas is their backyard, where they've been recruiting for years, and they wiped the floor with us this year. Not to mention they've been a semi-elite program for a number of years now.

I will say that it's a little disappointing that we haven't taken advantage of the 'SEC' deal as much as others have, like Kentucky. But they are in a much better place to do that.

[smootness]

I'm not disappointed necessarily in the talent level it looks like we'll lose out on or in who we're going to actually get; but I am a little disappointed in the numbers at OL and DL.

We absolutely have to pull in at least 4-5 quality prospects on both the OL and DL in next year's class or we're going to be in a world of trouble come 2016.

[maroonmania]

I'm not disappointed necessarily in the talent level it looks like we'll lose out on or in who we're going to actually get; but I am a little disappointed in the numbers at OL and DL.

We absolutely have to pull in at least 4-5 quality prospects on both the OL and DL in next year's class or we're going to be in a world of trouble come 2016.

I'm satisfied with this class except OL and DL (assuming we only close with Harris). However, most games are won and lost in the trenches so I don't see how this class can get any more than a C or C- with so many targets whiffed on in both the OL and DL. Now if we get Griffin that would certainly help matters. If we somehow could pull Griffin and Smith, which is a longshot at best now, then I would be fine with DL and only have issues with the OL.

[msstate7]

What's juco class of ol and dl look like next season? I've heard about Danley, but no one else

[Goat Holder]

I shared your concern and yes, I think we'll need to pull in a minimum of 5 OL prospects next year. Good thing is, what we need is depth, so unless there's a 4/5 star type at EMCC that just wants to come to Starkville, I don't see us needing to go JUCO there, at least not until 2016/2017 possibly. I'm not as concerned on the DL, we always seem to be OK there (outside King Jackie's Arizona Western cluster f*ck). But I've seen many a MSU teams with devastatingly terrible OLs, that ruined promising QB's careers, so that's always of the utmost importance to me.

And yes, I agree 2016 is the year our depth will show. By my count, IF we sign 5 OL in 2015, we'll be counting on at least one of them to be a solid #2 guy in 2016 and in 2017, basically all 5. They'll be RSo. by that time, or Jrs. if one is a stud. So while not terrible, it's less than ideal too, especially with the talent we bring in. If you don't pull the 5 stars, you better have depth. Can't have a bunch of projects and then expect them to contribute as freshmen and sophomores. We tried that gig in 2011 and it didn't work. All I remember is the dozens of flat-back blocks that Clausell registered for the opposing teams in 2011 when he was a second year player.

[smootness]

What's juco class of ol and dl look like next season? I've heard about Danley, but no one else

I have no idea, but we can't rely on that anyway. We saw 15 years ago what happens when you become dependent on that.

I can't remember the last JUCO OL or DL that came in and was really good. Even Autry, who was as highly rated as you can be out of JUCO, was only pretty good for us.

[gtowndawg]

I'll provide another update...

He sent out three tweets last night. One that said something about Cal (go bears or something), one about Arizona (go cats) and one that said hailstate. The first two had about 20 reweets and a handful of favorites. Hailstate had about 90 retweets and 100 favorites (something close to that anyway). He's enjoying this process but I'm telling you they want to see love on Twitter. They just do.

I don't retweet things because it's my professional twitter account, but I do favorite alot of their tweets because they still get notification that people like what they are saying.

The day is coming where the NCAA is going to come down on some poor school for boosters getting involved via twitter. There's no way they can't.

[msstate7]

I have no idea, but we can't rely on that anyway. We saw 15 years ago what happens when you become dependent on that.

I can't remember the last JUCO OL or DL that came in and was really good. Even Autry, who was as highly rated as you can be out of JUCO, was only pretty good for us.

How about McPhee?

I do agree we can't depend on them. We have some really good juco talent in miss though so we should take advantage IMO

[smootness]

I'm not as concerned on the DL, we always seem to be OK there. But I've seen many a MSU teams with devastatingly terrible OLs, that ruined promising QB's careers, so that's always of the utmost importance to me.

I'm the other way around. We still have to bring guys in, otherwise there won't be anyone. Just because we've had good DLs in the past doesn't mean we're automatically fine there.

Last year, we only brought in two DL, Chris Jones and Trent Simpson. Jones is a 3-year guy. This year, we only have Hoyett as a HS guy and it looks like we'll probably add Harris and it's still a long shot to get anybody else. Let's say we only end up with Hoyett and Harris. That means that come 2016, the three guys from these two classes will be Simpson, Hoyett, and Harris....very short on numbers and pretty underwhelming in talent, based on the scouting reports. Simpson will be a rJr and Hoyett and Harris should both be rSo's. So we'll have AJ Jefferson, Torrey Dale, Nelson Adams, Jordan Washington and possibly Nick James (though I doubt it) as Srs, and behind them, only those 3 guys separating that group from the first- and second-year guys.

So we absolutely have to bring in some guys capable of being serious players by the second or third years or we're going to be in serious trouble.

[Goat Holder]

Whoa now. Pernell McPhee ring a bell? Charles Siddoway plugged a pretty big hole as well. And we missed on Donald Hawkins (who hates Hevesy) and he ended up starting at Texas for two years. James Carmon would have been a big help had he not gotten hurt. The difference in 2011 was night and day with him in the lineup.

Going back further, J.D. Hamilton was a big cog in our success in 2007. Jessie Bowman was solid on the DL too, for Croominator.

We absolutely must hit JUCO heavy. But there is a balance. Not as much as Jackie, but more than a typical SEC team. It's a big part of the success equation at MSU, no question about it.

[smootness]

How about McPhee

True, yes, he was very good. I forgot about him. So it can be done, I just don't want to ever rely on that. We should use JUCO to bring in a really good player to supplement what we have or to take us over the top, but if we ever find ourselves needing to bring in JUCOs and play or else we won't have anyone, we're in trouble.

[msstate7]

True, yes, he was very good. I forgot about him. So it can be done, I just don't want to ever rely on that. We should use JUCO to bring in a really good player to supplement what we have or to take us over the top, but if we ever find ourselves needing to bring in JUCOs and play or else we won't have anyone, we're in trouble.

Gotcha and I agree

[smootness]

Whoa now. Pernell McPhee ring a bell? Charles Siddoway plugged a pretty big hole as well. And we missed on Donald Hawkins (who hates Hevesy) and he ended up starting at Texas for two years. James Carmon would have been a big help had he not gotten hurt. The difference in 2011 was night and day with him in the lineup.

Going back further, J.D. Hamilton was a big cog in our success in 2007. Jessie Bowman was solid on the DL too, for Croominator.

We absolutely must hit JUCO heavy. But there is a balance. Not as much as Jackie, but more than a typical SEC team. It's a big part of the success equation at MSU, no question about it.

Yeah, I went blank on McPhee...but the rest of that list is fairly underwhelming, though I did like Bowman. Siddoway was serviceable, Carmon and Hamilton were decent. I would never say we need to hit JUCO heavily. We need to do what we're doing this year. We got Shepard and Hutcherson because they're studs, we got Coleman to be depth at DE, and we got Jocquell Johnson to compete for a job because we ended up with a bit of a hole at T. Even if none of them pan out, we're still ok. We'll need somebody to step up at RT in that case, but it isn't devastating.

In 2016-2017, our lack of talent on the DL could be devastating, again unless we really hit a HR next year.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Yeah, I went blank on McPhee...but the rest of that list is fairly underwhelming, though I did like Bowman. Siddoway was serviceable, Carmon and Hamilton were decent. I would never say we need to hit JUCO heavily. We need to do what we're doing this year. We got Shepard and Hutcherson because they're studs, we got Coleman to be depth at DE, and we got Jocquell Johnson to compete for a job because we ended up with a bit of a hole at T. Even if none of them pan out, we're still ok. We'll need somebody to step up at RT in that case, but it isn't devastating.

In 2016-2017, our lack of talent on the DL could be devastating, again unless we really hit a HR next year.

Yeah, Mullen really can't afford to whiff on Fletcher Adams. If he can't get it together and pull in a very good 2015 class, that may be the end of him.

[maroonmania]

So is RT likely to be a battle between Jocquell Johnson and Damien Robinson? Is there anyone else that might be ready to step up at Tackle as a starter?

[deltadawg99]

I like our class from top to bottom, I do wish that we could have gotten another OL and either Carter, Smith or Griffin to finish out the DL class with Harris.

We had some factors going against us that kept us from keeping a few OL commits. Tyler Jones - flipped to NC State because that was his dream school, Norman Price - signed with USM because his soon to be ex-girlfriend is going there and we all know about the Rawlings situation. If we could have held onto one of the 3 guys we missed, I think we would all be happier with the OL class.

On the DL front we've just got to close better. I'm still holding out hope the OJ Smith doesn't take the Bama gray shirt offer, but with the others we just couldn't get them on board. Trey Carter -long time OSU commit that we stayed on but obviously committed to OSU for a reason, Cory Thomas - the family not wanting him at MSU and Marcus Griffin - living in the Pacific Northwest.

[NCDawg]

guy play and he passes the eye test. Obviously some reason we weren't interested but he appeared to be a good prospect. I think Southern is putting together a decent class by their standards. I really hate losing Price to them. Almost lost Bryant too.

Do the name Jeremiah Sangster mean anything to you? Yeah, remember State vs. TN in 1986. Probably very few posters on this board do.

[smootness]

On the DL front we've just got to close better. I'm still holding out hope the OJ Smith doesn't take the Bama gray shirt offer, but with the others we just couldn't get them on board. Trey Carter -long time OSU commit that we stayed on but obviously committed to OSU for a reason, Cory Thomas - the family not wanting him at MSU and Marcus Griffin - living in the Pacific Northwest.

I don't really think the issue was an inability to close necessarily. I mean, obviously didn't close with them if we don't get them, but it's not like we're losing guys we thought we had a great shot at the whole time, with the exception of Cory Thomas, and it looks like there's something there we were just never going to be able to overcome.

Smith is a guy who had a Bama offer, and he jumped on it immediately. Hard to do much there
We've known Carter was a OSU commit now for a while. I guess you can say we could have closed better, but I don't consider him someone that we should have pulled.
And we weren't really on Griffin much until the very end...it will always be tough to pull a guy like that, especially when he is from Washington and has other, closer options. I actually think we've done a very good job of closing with him just to get in there and have a chance. If we get him, it will be a great close by the staff, but I don't consider him a loss if we don't.

I think our main problem was not going hard after DL earlier. We knew the DL class was thin last year; I don't care what we think we can get next year, you can't afford two thin DL classes in a row, yet we seemed to kind of slow-play some guys and not go all-in after some DL until the very end.

[Saltydog]

was Lawrence Sangster from Louisville that was dandy dozen RB back in the early 90's..........I'm assuming Jeremy is Jeremiah's son but I'm not 100% positive on that.......Jeremiah was a stud on some of those mid 80's Louisivlle teams.........

[Coach34]

I have no idea, but we can't rely on that anyway. We saw 15 years ago what happens when you become dependent on that.

I can't remember the last JUCO OL or DL that came in and was really good. Even Autry, who was as highly rated as you can be out of JUCO, was only pretty good for us.

Pernell McPhee?

[Coach34]

Yeah, Mullen really can't afford to whiff on Fletcher Adams. If he can't get it together and pull in a very good 2015 class, that may be the end of him.

We're going to have a top 20 class next year- Mississippi is loaded

[Coach34]

So is RT likely to be a battle between Jocquell Johnson and Damien Robinson? Is there anyone else that might be ready to step up at Tackle as a starter?

RT is likely to be Malone with Johnson at RG (still in speculation mode though)

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

Is there enough depth in the 2015 class for Bama and LSU to cherry pick who they want, while we and the bears fight over the rest? I don't understand where the confidence of signing a top class is coming from and if we miss on DL/OL next year, we'll be up shit creek.

[HancockCountyDog]

Is there enough depth in the 2015 class for Bama and LSU to cherry pick who they want, while we and the bears fight over the rest? I don't understand where the confidence of signing a top class is coming from and if we miss on DL/OL next year, we'll be up shit creek.

I know for a fact that Bama is all over Peters and the bears are all over Patterson. Those will be dogfights.

People are acting like there are 20 four star players in the state next year - there aren't. There are some good players - but probably 3-4 Top 100 type players and probably 7-8 Top 250 players. That is a great class - but people are putting a lot of eggs in that 2015 basket. There is only blue chip OL in the state next year - Patterson. One Blue Chip DL in the state next year - Adams. The reason I know that is that our staff has only offered those two players on the lines.

There are a lot of great athletes in next year's class, Dontae Jones, Jonas Spivey, J'amar Smith, Anfernee Sullivan, Cameron Myers,Tim Washington, wilie hibbler, but the lineman are few and far between.

Now maybe Ryan Gibson and Matt Womack will earn offers - but they aren't there yet.

[maroonmania]

I don't really think the issue was an inability to close necessarily. I mean, obviously didn't close with them if we don't get them, but it's not like we're losing guys we thought we had a great shot at the whole time, with the exception of Cory Thomas, and it looks like there's something there we were just never going to be able to overcome.

Smith is a guy who had a Bama offer, and he jumped on it immediately. Hard to do much there
We've known Carter was a OSU commit now for a while. I guess you can say we could have closed better, but I don't consider him someone that we should have pulled.
And we weren't really on Griffin much until the very end...it will always be tough to pull a guy like that, especially when he is from Washington and has other, closer options. I actually think we've done a very good job of closing with him just to get in there and have a chance. If we get him, it will be a great close by the staff, but I don't consider him a loss if we don't.

I think our main problem was not going hard after DL earlier. We knew the DL class was thin last year; I don't care what we think we can get next year, you can't afford two thin DL classes in a row, yet we seemed to kind of slow-play some guys and not go all-in after some DL until the very end.

There are definite legitimate reasons for things happening the way they have and I won't sit here and beat our staff up over it but bottom line is this class doesn't have enough true SEC quality linemen in it on paper. Don't really see what else you can say about it. I'll just leave the discussion on it at that until signing is over but I definitely have concerns.

[civildawg]

Yep in 2 or 3 years we will be wondering why we can only win 5 or 6 games in year 7 and 8 under mullen and it will be because of recruiting or lack thereof

[Johnson85]

There is only blue chip OL in the state next year - Patterson. One Blue Chip DL in the state next year - Adams. The reason I know that is that our staff has only offered those two players on the lines.

That's surprising. I would think we'd be at the point where we need to have at least 6 or 7 realistic OL prospects with offers in hand for 2015.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

There is another OL who has been offered by both MSU & OM. Tommy Champion OT from Calloway & there is a very good chance he is on our commit list very soon.




I know for a fact that Bama is all over Peters and the bears are all over Patterson. Those will be dogfights.

People are acting like there are 20 four star players in the state next year - there aren't. There are some good players - but probably 3-4 Top 100 type players and probably 7-8 Top 250 players. That is a great class - but people are putting a lot of eggs in that 2015 basket. There is only blue chip OL in the state next year - Patterson. One Blue Chip DL in the state next year - Adams. The reason I know that is that our staff has only offered those two players on the lines.

There are a lot of great athletes in next year's class, Dontae Jones, Jonas Spivey, J'amar Smith, Anfernee Sullivan, Cameron Myers,Tim Washington, wilie hibbler, but the lineman are few and far between.

Now maybe Ryan Gibson and Matt Womack will earn offers - but they aren't there yet.

[smootness]

I'm not nearly as concerned about the future of the OL as I am the DL. We've made our way with less-heralded guys on the OL, and it's worked out ok. I like Flowers, Thomas, and Clayborn from last year's class and several of the other prospects we've brought in recently. I'm not one who thinks you have to have 5 OL signees every year. As long as you retain and develop well, you should be fine bringing in 3 or so each year; sometimes you'll have to bring in one or two more, obviously.

But we're still bringing in 3 HS guys this year; not that bad. But on the DL in the SEC you absolutely have to have some difference-makers, and if we have those guys in 3-4 years, they're all going to have to be really young.

[HancockCountyDog]

There is another OL who has been offered by both MSU & OM. Tommy Champion OT from Calloway & there is a very good chance he is on our commit list very soon.

That is great to hear - I had forgotten about him. Im glad Otis is finally helping us out.