2021 MSU Football Depth Chart

[KOdawg1]

I'm starting to move into football mode. Figured I'd take a crack at the depth chart on a slow Monday. Feel free to disagree, post your own, discuss. Let's talk some football.

OFFENSE:

QB: Will Rogers...Jack Abraham...Sawyer Robertson

RB: Jo'quavious Marks and/or Dillon Johnson... Simeon Price

Outside WR:
Malik Heath...Tulu Griffin...Jacobi Moore
Makai Polk...Caleb Ducking...Quinton Torbor

Inside WR:
Jaden Walley...Jamire Calvin...Rufus Harvey
Austin Williams...Teddy Knox...Brodie King

LT: Charles Cross...Scott Lashley
LG: Laquinston Sharp...Calvin McMillian
C: Cole Smith...Laquinston Sharp
RG: Dolla Bill...Cordavien Suggs
RT: Kam Jones...Nick Jones

DEFENSE:

DE: Jordan Davis...Jaden Crumedy...Demonte Russell
DT: Jaden Crumedy and/or Nathan Pickering...Cam Young
DE: Randy Charlton...Aaron Odom and/or Jevon Banks

MLB: Nate Watson...Deshawn Page...Rodney Groce
OLB: Aaron Brule...Deshawn Page...JP Purvis
Edge LB: Tyrus Wheat...John Lewis...Demonte Russell

CB: Martin Emerson...Decamarion Richardson...Jalen Green
CB: Emmanuel Forbes...Esaias Furdge...Jaylon Reed (Lord help us if we get to here)
FS: Jalen Green...Londyn Craft...Dylan Lawrence
SS: Collin Duncan...Shawn Preston and/or CJ Morgan
Dawg: Fred Peters...Janari Dean...Shawn Preston

SPECIAL TEAMS:

K: Brandon Ruiz
P: Tucker Day
KO: Scott Goodman
KR: Tulu Griffin...Teddy Knox
PR: Austin Williams...Jaden Walley

[PMDawg]

Man, we are pretty thin pretty much everywhere. That's never been a good recipe for winning SEC games.

[KOdawg1]

Man, we are pretty thin pretty much everywhere. That's never been a good recipe for winning SEC games.

I think we've got good depth at WR, DL, and S. But if we have an injury at CB or OL, we're in trouble. Can't afford an injury at LB either.

[PMDawg]

I think we've got good depth at WR, DL, and S. But if we have an injury at CB or OL, we're in trouble. Can't afford an injury at LB either.

RB, LB, the entire OL, maybe QB (who knows), and I'm not sold on DE yet.

[Catfish]

What about Antonio Harmon at WR?

[ShotgunDawg]

Hargrove is 195 and ran a 4.3 a few weeks ago. Any reason why Price is over him?

[KOdawg1]

Hargrove is 195 and ran a 4.3 a few weeks ago. Any reason why Price is over him?
He's coming off an injury, but if he's a full go, then I could see him and Price battling it out for that 3rd spot. Ideally, I'd like one of them to redshirt.

[KOdawg1]

What about Antonio Harmon at WR?
I think Antonio probably needs a year to get acclimated. Physically, he's ready, but he played in a triple option offense in high school, so he just needs practice reps

[R2Dawg]

Man, we are pretty thin pretty much everywhere. That's never been a good recipe for winning SEC games.

Maybe on O in some spots but that D looks nasty. Not as much experience in a few spots but talent is there. D is gonna give us a chance to win most games. Can the O deliver anything, something?

[Goldendawg]

Man, we are pretty thin pretty much everywhere. That's never been a good recipe for winning SEC games.

I counted about 21 OL, 20 safeties, and about 18 or so WR. I know some are young and some are walkons, but someone past or present has deemed them worthy to play for us in the SEC. Looks to me if we can't find depth in this quantity of players, it's our fault. Hail State!

[KOdawg1]

We have plenty of bodies on the OL, but I don't know enough about who is a guard or a tackle to put them at a position.

I'm confident in the starting 5. Lashley can back up at tackle and guard. Sharp can play either guard spot and center. Reese is an athletic freak but idk if he contributes his first year. Carson Williams is another Juco guy we signed, but we reached on him imo. The bodies are there. The experience isn't.

[Hot Rock]

He's coming off an injury, but if he's a full go, then I could see him and Price battling it out for that 3rd spot. Ideally, I'd like one of them to redshirt.

They both can play 4 games and redshirt them both. Leach rarely uses more than two backs a lot anyway but at 4.3....

[Jarius]

We have plenty of bodies on the OL, but I don't know enough about who is a guard or a tackle to put them at a position.

I'm confident in the starting 5. Lashley can back up at tackle and guard. Sharp can play either guard spot and center. Reese is an athletic freak but idk if he contributes his first year. Carson Williams is another Juco guy we signed, but we reached on him imo. The bodies are there. The experience isn't.

Lashley has a good shot at being the starter at RT.

[KOdawg1]

Lashley has a good shot at being the starter at RT.
It'll be a battle between him and Kam, for sure

[Captain Falcon]

I feel great about our inside receivers, need the outside guys to show consistency. I am of the opinion that Walley and Griffin are by far our most dynamic playmakers until proven otherwise, need to get them both the ball as much as possible.

Overall I feel like we have a pretty solid starting 22 with no obvious weaknesses... the issue is going to be depth, particularly at LB and in the secondary. Would be big if somebody like John Lewis came in and was a key contributor right away, or if someone like Richardson took a noticeable step forward.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I see you have Crumedy as a backup to Davis. I agree that you will see Crumedy at DE occasionally with Pickering at NG. But Crumedy would be strong side. So not on the same side as Davis.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Sherman Timbs will be in the 3-deep somewhere. Guaranteed. Not a starter, but at least a 3rd stringer.

[KOdawg1]

I see you have Crumedy as a backup to Davis. I agree that you will see Crumedy at DE occasionally with Pickering at NG. But Crumedy would be strong side. So not on the same side as Davis.

Correct. Good call

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Emerson and Forbes will be good. They better stay healthy.

[Coach34]

Should be an interesting year watching the RB's catch 100 swing passes this season.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Lashley has a good shot at being the starter at RT.

I think he will

[Cowbell]

Is Walley 100% after that spring game scare?

[Cowbell]

Should be an interesting year watching the RB's catch 100 swing passes this season.

And getting absolutely blown up every dang time. It was irresponsible the way we hung them out to dry so much last year.

[CaptainObvious]

I heard Leach has decided to run the Single Wing to satisfy message board coaches.

[Coach34]

I’ve heard he was going to throw it 600 times to please himself

[Maverick91]

I heard Leach has decided to run the Single Wing to satisfy message board coaches.

lol

[Jarius]

I?ve heard he was going to throw it 600 times to please himself

I guess we will just have to wait and see what the 2 time national college football coach of the year decides to do.

[confucius say]

Folks are sleeping on our defense. If we stay reasonably healthy, it will be Top 3-4 on the league.

[Maverick91]

Folks are sleeping on our defense. If we stay reasonably healthy, it will be Top 3-4 on the league.

If it can rival what we had in '18, and if our offense can produce better than joeblows that year. Could be a really good year. BIG if's.

[confucius say]

I'm not saying it can be 18 good.
But I think it will be 17 good.

[Maverick91]

I'm not saying it can be 18 good.
But I think it will be 17 good.

lol "17 good" that is still pretty freaking good.

[R2Dawg]

And getting absolutely blown up every dang time. It was irresponsible the way we hung them out to dry so much last year.

Again what are we gonna do to keep D from jumping our routes? All of them.

[Jarius]

Again what are we gonna do to keep D from jumping our routes? All of them.

Run the ball better when we do run, Throw to the back sooner on the check downs (they are wide open when the ball is snapped and can gain 10-12 yards every single time if they are the first read instead of the check down), and the OL has to protect until the receivers can find the soft spot in the zone down the field.

[Offshore Dawg]

Last year the team had little to almost no practice or installation time. This year should be much better just based off the team understanding what the coaches want them to do.

[KOdawg1]

Again what are we gonna do to keep D from jumping our routes? All of them.

Have a pass-run ratio of at least 65-35 and run the ball effectively when we do. This will also lead to us seeing man to man a little more, which as we saw vs. LSU, we can torch.

When a defense has only 3 down linemen with LBs bailing out to zone cover, you have to be able to run for yards on that. You have to.

[RiverCityDawg]

Again what are we gonna do to keep D from jumping our routes? All of them.

I assume you're just talking about against zone because against man the answer is throw it sooner and/or throw it more accurate just like it is with all offenses.

Against zone I think it's more about the QB knowing which open space the receiver is going to sit in and then the receiver actually sitting in the space he's supposed to. This offense against zone relies a lot on everyone knowing what they're supposed to be doing, which I'm not sure was always the case last year, especially early on against Arkansas and Kentucky.

The real question is whether we are going to be able to pass protect against 3, 4 or 5 rushers. If we are able to do that I think the rest will come together just fine.

[confucius say]

Last year the team had little to almost no practice or installation time. This year should be much better just based off the team understanding what the coaches want them to do.

This applies more to offense I know, but it applies to defense too.

[ShotgunDawg]

Should be an interesting year watching the RB's catch 100 swing passes this season.

I?m personally fine with this if we?ll hit it quick and let the back get upfield and in stride.

I think the problem last year how slow we recognized the swing pass was wide ass open, thus making the back stop and turn his back to the defense.

If we hit it correctly, defenses will scheme to take it away thus opening up other routes.

[HancockCountyDog]

I'm not saying it can be 18 good.
But I think it will be 17 good.

We had three first round picks on that 17 defense, I'm not sure I see that here.

All our defense has to be is solid and we will improve.

[confucius say]

We had three first round picks on that 17 defense, I'm not sure I see that here.

All our defense has to be is solid and we will improve.

True. But later. Not a single defensive player was drafted after the 2017 season. Abram, Simmons, and sweat were drafted in the first round after 2018 season. Point being, nobody on the 2017 defense was a first rounder after the 2017 season. And abram didn't even start in 2017 (which I disagreed with).

I don't think this dl has the star power 2017 had, but lb will be as good or better and corners better.

I agree with your last sentence. And I think it will be more than solid.

[HoopsDawg]

I guess we will just have to wait and see what the 2 time national college football coach of the year decides to do.

maybe we should bring Joe Lee Dunn back. He was defensive coach of the year at one time. Adapt or Die. Let's hope he's not as stubborn as he seems.

[confucius say]

maybe we should bring Joe Lee Dunn back. He was defensive coach of the year at one time. Adapt or Die. Let's hope he's not as stubborn as he seems.

He just won national coach of the year following the 2018 season. It's not like the game has changed massively since then. And I think the pass run balance in the two games to close the season was positive

[Jarius]

maybe we should bring Joe Lee Dunn back. He was defensive coach of the year at one time. Adapt or Die. Let's hope he's not as stubborn as he seems.

Well Mike Leach won it 3 years ago with half the talent he has at State. If you think he doesn’t know what he’s doing long term you are quite frankly ignorant and there is no other way to put it. His teams have looked shitty year one at every stop he’s been and last year he didn’t even have a spring to install a complete philosophy change with players that were not recruited to a pass first offense. He is going to win here at an acceptable level. Stop acting like an idiot over a season where we continually improved with a roster that quite frankly had no business even competing by the end of the year. A quarter of our conference is now teams he spent a decade routinely beating in the big 12 with half the talent we have here.

[HoopsDawg]

Well Mike Leach won it 3 years ago with half the talent he has at State. If you think he doesn’t know what he’s doing long term you are quite frankly ignorant and there is no other way to put it. His teams have looked shitty year one at every stop he’s been and last year he didn’t even have a spring to install a complete philosophy change with players that were not recruited to a pass first offense. He is going to win here at an acceptable level. Stop acting like an idiot over a season where we continually improved with a roster that quite frankly had no business even competing by the end of the year. A quarter of our conference is now teams he spent a decade routinely beating in the big 12 with half the talent we have here.

I guess we'll see.

[Dawgfan77]

We had three first round picks on that 17 defense, I'm not sure I see that here.

All our defense has to be is solid and we will improve.
Emerson and Forbes are 1st round talent. I'm anxious to see the development of some of our DL. I do think we have one that eventually develop into a 1st round guy. Crumedy, Pickering or young. I'm high on Charlton and
Wheat as well.

[Jarius]

Emerson and Forbes are 1st round talent. I'm anxious to see the development of some of our DL. I do think we have one that eventually develop into a 1st round guy. Crumedy, Pickering or young. I'm high on Charlton and
Wheat as well.

Jordan Davis is the one who is going to take a massive jump this year IMO. Paul Jones has said the coaches love how he has been playing at his new spot (Paul picked him as his breakout player on defense this year) and it usually takes a year for the juco guys to fully adjust. I’m excited about him this year.

[confucius say]

I think wheat and Davis both have big years