2021 MSU Football Recruiting Discussion Thread

You guys are going to laugh at the comparison I'm about to make on Timar, but this guy has an outrageous burst & foot quickness.

I see a lighter version of Willie Gay. This is unique speed & burst.

I'm not saying he's a 5 star, but this guy is super good.

I just watched his video in an attempt to come up with a former MSU comparison, and I just haven't seen many MSU LBs move like that other than 1. McKinney, Benny Brown, Erroll, Leo, etc all had thicker bodies & weren't as fast.

Matt Wells is likely a similar size, but Matt had longer strides & didn't seem as twitchy.

I know the Willie Gay comparison is super risky on an 84 rated prospect, but that's kind of what the style of play looks like. I don't know what else to say.

What am I missing?

At this point in the Leach tenure, I think we can start to make some roster/recruiting assumptions.

I believe we are about to field the fastest MSU teams in our history.

That being said, I'm not sure how big we'll be & according to Nick Saban in the Book "4th & Goal Everyday", "Big people beat up smaller people". So may our current recruiting strategy may end up being more of a Big 12/Pac 12 type recruiting strategy & we get run on for 350 yards in the SEC. Not sure, but we are about to be really really fast.

We'll see if it works

Not really 2021 related but Emmet Gooden just got released from UT. I remember it was a pretty big melt here when he flipped

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Originally Posted by vv83

Not really 2021 related but Emmet Gooden just got released from UT. I remember it was a pretty big melt here when he flipped

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His recruitment was an absolute mess.

I've been following this long enough to see the trend that most kids who's recruitment is a mess end up being a mess themselves.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

His recruitment was an absolute mess.

I've been following this long enough to see the trend that most kids who's recruitment is a mess end up being a mess themselves.

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Busted a glass candle jar over his gf’s head. Dodged a bullet on him

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Originally Posted by vv83

Not really 2021 related but Emmet Gooden just got released from UT. I remember it was a pretty big melt here when he flipped

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Gooden just used us for a close to home good time, he came down here for the advantages of being a commit. He took advantage of us and never had the intention of signing. He had stars in his eyes and not enough in his brain to qualify. I can't think of another player that I was so glad he didn't become a Dawg!

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Originally Posted by msbulldog

Gooden just used us for a close to home good time, he came down here for the advantages of being a commit. He took advantage of us and never had the intention of signing. He had stars in his eyes and not enough in his brain to qualify. I can't think of another player that I was so glad he didn't become a Dawg!

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And he was Jarvis Varnado’s half brother, right? Varnado was, at least on the surface, the ultimate bulldog. Seems they are quite different.

Looks like we're closing in on Loftin & Nabors.

I've figured out what this staff likes..... speed, speed, & oh yeah..... more speed

Which kind of makes sense when you throw the ball 60 times a game. If the QB if taught to go through progressions & find the open man, then it's imperative that your WRs create separation so that the QB can make good decisions. It's not rocket science that speed creates separation. Agility & route running does as well, but speed is the number 1 way

What's odd to me about Loftin is that this staff is recruiting him like he's a boarderline 5 star & he barely has any Power 5 offers. It's a clear case of this staff valuing something in him that others really don't

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

At this point in the Leach tenure, I think we can start to make some roster/recruiting assumptions.

I believe we are about to field the fastest MSU teams in our history.

That being said, I'm not sure how big we'll be & according to Nick Saban in the Book "4th & Goal Everyday", "Big people beat up smaller people". So may our current recruiting strategy may end up being more of a Big 12/Pac 12 type recruiting strategy & we get run on for 350 yards in the SEC. Not sure, but we are about to be really really fast.

We'll see if it works

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Fastest team ever? Calm down. You're referring only to the WR's he's recruiting right?

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Originally Posted by bulldawg28

Fastest team ever? Calm down. You're referring only to the WR's he's recruiting right?

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That & the Timar also looks really fast.

We've haven't had a ton of team speed in the past, so saying that Leach will build the fastest MSU teams ever isn't a stretch at all.

MSU has always gone with size but never really speed. Even our best teams were more physical than fast.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

That & the Timar also looks really fast.

We've haven't had a ton of team speed in the past, so saying that Leach will build the fastest MSU teams ever isn't a stretch at all.

MSU has always gone with size but never really speed. Even our best teams were more physical than fast.

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I see what you are saying. Dan and Jackie built us into mostly big plodding teams that would line up and try to run you over.

DL is my biggest worry. I'm not sold on Phelps at all.

And yes, I know it's too early to make those assumptions. I just thought we could've done better. It's Ty Cooper or bust with this year's DL class

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

DL is my biggest worry. I'm not sold on Phelps at all.

And yes, I know it's too early to make those assumptions. I just thought we could've done better. It's Ty Cooper or bust with this year's DL class

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How would you be sold on any coach before they actually coach a game for us?

What other DL should we have been on?

What other DL are in-state?

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

How would you be sold on any coach before they actually coach a game for us?

What other DL should we have been on?

What other DL are in-state?

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Read my post again. Read the third sentence. Read it again.

Idk what other DL we should been on. That's not the point of my post. I'm not saying he's done a bad job. He just hasn't done a job yet. I'm just saying I wasn't sold on him in the first place. That's not to say he turns out to be pretty good with SEC talent. But out of all our assistants, Phelps gives me the least confidence.

There are no other in-state DL, hence the "Ty Cooper" or bust comment.

So we're likely looking at a situation where we have one spot to choose between Kanarius Johnson and Jacobi Moore. That's tough bc I really like both.

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

So we're likely looking at a situation where we have one spot to choose between Kanarius Johnson and Jacobi Moore. That's tough bc I really like both.

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Or Deion Smith flips.

I think the fact that you have options between Johnson & Moore allows you wait to see how both look in their SR season & to see if Deion considers flipping.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

Or Deion Smith flips.

I think the fact that you have options between Johnson & Moore allows you wait to see how both look in their SR season & to see if Deion considers flipping.

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I think you hold a spot for Deion regardless. Even if we have 5 receivers committed, if Deion shows interest in flipping, you take 6 and worry about the numbers later.

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

So we're likely looking at a situation where we have one spot to choose between Kanarius Johnson and Jacobi Moore. That's tough bc I really like both.

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I do as well, but it's hard for me to turn down Moore's size.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

That & the Timar also looks really fast.

We've haven't had a ton of team speed in the past, so saying that Leach will build the fastest MSU teams ever isn't a stretch at all.

MSU has always gone with size but never really speed. Even our best teams were more physical than fast.

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Our best teams have been physical AND Fast. We've never been a big 10 style team. Jackie's teams were always exceptionally fast. Timar is 195 lbs and a 4.6 guy. He's not Willie Gay no matter how you slice it. However, he is a solid player.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

Looks like we're closing in on Loftin & Nabors.

I've figured out what this staff likes..... speed, speed, & oh yeah..... more speed

Which kind of makes sense when you throw the ball 60 times a game. If the QB if taught to go through progressions & find the open man, then it's imperative that your WRs create separation so that the QB can make good decisions. It's not rocket science that speed creates separation. Agility & route running does as well, but speed is the number 1 way

What's odd to me about Loftin is that this staff is recruiting him like he's a boarderline 5 star & he barely has any Power 5 offers. It's a clear case of this staff valuing something in him that others really don't

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Lofton has 10 other P5 offers, and his #2 is PSU

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Originally Posted by bulldawg28

Our best teams have been physical AND Fast. We've never been a big 10 style team. Jackie's teams were always exceptionally fast. Timar is 195 lbs and a 4.6 guy. He's not Willie Gay no matter how you slice it. However, he is a solid player.

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He looks faster than 4.6 on film. 40 time is misleading. Guys can be much better in the shuttle, which is more important to football

I disagree with our teams being big and fast. Grated we've never been a Big 10 team, but we're recruiting offensive speed we've never had right now.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

He looks faster than 4.6 on film. 40 time is misleading. Guys can be much better in the shuttle, which is more important to football

I disagree with our teams being big and fast. Grated we've never been a Big 10 team, but we're recruiting offensive speed we've never had right now.

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I hear you.

Had some time, so I thought I'd lay out our commits and who we're after by position so we can look at it from a broader view. (Commits are in bold.)

QB: (2)

Sawyer Robertson
Daniel Greek

RB: (1-2)

Amariyon Howard
Carlois Walker
Ahmonte Watkins

WR: (4-5)

Brandon Buckhaulter
Teddy Knox
Malik Nabers
Da'wain Lofton
Kanarius Johnson
Jacobi Moore
Deion Smith

OL: (4-5)

Makylan Pounders
Canon Boone
Rod Orr
Weston Franklin
Kimo Makaneole
Caleb Etienne
Jim Riley

DE: (2)

Ty Cooper
Byron Turner Jr. (hybrid)
Nick Dimitris
Jevon Nelson

DT: (1)

Devin Lee
Jamond Gordon
Demarcus Smith

MLB: (1)

Navonteque Strong

OLB: (2)

Timar Rogers
Chase Smith
Raheim Sanders
Steven Cattledge

CB: (3)

Cortez Eatmon
Justin Walley
Brandon Toles (can play safety too)
Adrian Huey

S: (3-4)

Myzel Williams
Corey Ellington
Matthew Langlois
Jadarrius Perkins
MJ Daniels

Brendan Toles*

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

Had some time, so I thought I'd lay out our commits and who we're after by position so we can look at it from a broader view. (Commits are in bold.)

QB: (2)

Sawyer Robertson
Daniel Greek

RB: (1-2)

Amariyon Howard
Carlois Walker
Ahmonte Watkins

WR: (4-5)

Brandon Buckhaulter
Teddy Knox
Malik Nabers
Da'wain Lofton
Kanarius Johnson
Jacobi Moore
Deion Smith

OL: (4-5)

Makylan Pounders
Canon Boone
Rod Orr
Weston Franklin
Kimo Makaneole
Caleb Etienne
Jim Riley

DE: (2)

Ty Cooper
Byron Turner Jr. (hybrid)
Nick Dimitris
Jevon Nelson

DT: (1)

Devin Lee
Jamond Gordon
Demarcus Smith

MLB: (1)

Navonteque Strong

OLB: (2)

Timar Rogers
Chase Smith
Raheim Sanders
Steven Cattledge

CB: (3)

Cortez Eatmon
Justin Walley
Brandon Toles (can play safety too)
Adrian Huey

S: (3-4)

Myzel Williams
Corey Ellington
Matthew Langlois
Jadarrius Perkins
MJ Daniels

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Some other targets

S - Kadarrius Calloway
Hybrid/OLB - Miles Capers
LB - Jaydon Hood
RB - Jaylin White
CB - Yulkeith Brown

I'm sure I missed a few more.

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Originally Posted by Ifyouonlyknew

Some other targets

S - Kadarrius Calloway
Hybrid/OLB - Miles Capers
LB - Jaydon Hood
RB - Jaylin White
CB - Yulkeith Brown

I'm sure I missed a few more.

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I thought about putting Calloway on there, but I just don't see him coming back.

Yulkeith Brown intrigues me. He's a south Florida kid, so those will go anywhere. Obviously Miami bears watching with him, but maybe Jamar offering him gets us in the game.

Seems like Jaydon Hood is all Michigan based on his 247 profile.

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

I thought about putting Calloway on there, but I just don't see him coming back.

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So the target list is based on your opinion vs the reality.

Why can't you see him coming back? You don't think there's anyway we could get him back even when we've done so in the past with Bama commits?

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

So the target list is based on your opinion vs the reality.

Why can't you see him coming back? You don't think there's anyway we could get him back even when we've done so in the past with Bama commits?

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I think that if you do the work to put in a target list, you should probably be able to base it on your opinion, what you?ve read, research, etc...where?s your list?

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

So the target list is based on your opinion vs the reality.

Why can't you see him coming back? You don't think there's anyway we could get him back even when we've done so in the past with Bama commits?

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Of course it's my opinion. Idk what the reality is bc I'm not an insider nor do I claim to be. Make your own list of "the reality" if you think he comes back.

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Originally Posted by Tripp McNeely

I think that if you do the work to put in a target list, you should probably be able to base it on your opinion, what you?ve read, research, etc...where?s your list?

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I lost my crystal ball a few weeks back, so my bad on not being able tell the future "reality" **

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

I lost my crystal ball a few weeks back, so my bad on not being able tell the future "reality" **

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☝️☝️

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

I thought about putting Calloway on there, but I just don't see him coming back.

Yulkeith Brown intrigues me. He's a south Florida kid, so those will go anywhere. Obviously Miami bears watching with him, but maybe Jamar offering him gets us in the game.

Seems like Jaydon Hood is all Michigan based on his 247 profile.

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Calloway's not done. Not ready to say he flips back but it's a long way from over.

Correct on Brown they'll go anywhere. Penn St & A&M are after him the hardest. If we put the press on him then we can make it interesting imo.

Hood is pretty solid to Michigan but he & Jamar are really close. Jamar all but offered Hood at Florida but was then overruled by the staff. It may be nothing but I see him at least listening to Jamar. He was Jamar's 1st call when he got the job so he sees something in the kid.

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Originally Posted by Ifyouonlyknew

Calloway's not done. Not ready to say he flips back but it's a long way from over.

Correct on Brown they'll go anywhere. Penn St & A&M are after him the hardest. If we put the press on him then we can make it interesting imo.

Hood is pretty solid to Michigan but he & Jamar are really close. Jamar all but offered Hood at Florida but was then overruled by the staff. It may be nothing but I see him at least listening to Jamar. He was Jamar's 1st call when he got the job so he sees something in the kid.

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Didn't know that on Hood. Thanks for the info. Jamar Chaney was a huge hire in more ways than one.

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Originally Posted by Ifyouonlyknew

Some other targets

S - Kadarrius Calloway
Hybrid/OLB - Miles Capers
LB - Jaydon Hood
RB - Jaylin White
CB - Yulkeith Brown

I'm sure I missed a few more.

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We need more OL. Hoping to see some more names soon.

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Originally Posted by HancockCountyDog

We need more OL. Hoping to see some more names soon.

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I know this will be a weird recruiting year for the state of MS because we typically get a lot of kids that don't get noticed until later in the game and Covid has messed that up.

But on 24/7, there is only 1 kid in the Top 15 of MS that's not a skill position guy. No DL. Only 1 OL. In the Top 20 there's only 2 OL/DL. That's crushing our ability to get quality in state guys because the talent pool just isn't up to par with normal. Great year for skill guys. But we are having to look out of state for OL and DL and while we've had success in that in the past, we've never really been forced to do it to the degree we are this year it seems like.

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Originally Posted by MetEdDawg

I know this will be a weird recruiting year for the state of MS because we typically get a lot of kids that don't get noticed until later in the game and Covid has messed that up.

But on 24/7, there is only 1 kid in the Top 15 of MS that's not a skill position guy. No DL. Only 1 OL. In the Top 20 there's only 2 OL/DL. That's crushing our ability to get quality in state guys because the talent pool just isn't up to par with normal. Great year for skill guys. But we are having to look out of state for OL and DL and while we've had success in that in the past, we've never really been forced to do it to the degree we are this year it seems like.

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I could be wrong, but it would seem that OL & DL would be the latest developers due to their size & the need to gain coordination.

Therefore, this could be a situation where once the season starts OL & DL in Mississippi start to pop up. Those guys aren't going to get the benefit of 7 on 7

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Originally Posted by HancockCountyDog

We need more OL. Hoping to see some more names soon.

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I'd add Max Merril. I think he's close to an offer.

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Originally Posted by Ifyouonlyknew

I'd add Max Merril. I think he's close to an offer.

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IYOK, do you see more in Merril than the evaluators, the 247 composite has him 1244 nationally, 105 OT and 184 in Texas?

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Originally Posted by msbulldog

IYOK, do you see more in Merril than the evaluators, the 247 composite has him 1244 nationally, 105 OT and 184 in Texas?

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Can't really look at where the recruiting services have kids ranked this year because there have been very few camps/showcases for them to evaluate.

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Originally Posted by msbulldog

IYOK, do you see more in Merril than the evaluators, the 247 composite has him 1244 nationally, 105 OT and 184 in Texas?

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I haven't done a ton of research on him. He's approaching double figure P5 offers so he's not a diamond in the rough per se.