Jay Johnson Part of Fast Start for 2015 Recruiting Class

Mississippi State hit gold with their 2009 signing class and have seen solid classes since then, but MSU might be building one of its best classes yet in 2015. With already three talented juniors on board, Dan Mullen and his staff got another commitment from one of the state's top players next season in athlete Jay Johnson of Bruce.

Johnson picked up a Bulldog offer just a month ago and has been riding high on the Bulldogs ever since. On Tuesday, he decided to shut his commitment down and become a Bulldog a year early.

"I told Coach (Deshea) Townsend today that I wanted to commit," Johnson said. "I think it's important to decide early and I feel blessed to have this opportunity. I'm glad I committed to Mississippi State."

Johnson was surprised early Tuesday when Mullen and Townsend showed up at Bruce to see the talented junior. The surprise was enough to make him realize that he was ready to make the call.

"I've said that I would commit after the season and I didn't know that the coaches were coming until last night. It was perfect timing for me. They were on me first and believed in me. I'm loyal to them and appreciate their faith in me. It's close to home but not too close and my grandmother didn't want me to go out of state. I can stay here and compete for championships."

Johnson starred at Bruce on both sides of the ball as a junior and has quickly risen up the radar of coaches from around the southeast. Working as one of the team's top defenders and offensive playmakers, Johnson is one to watch moving forward. A position for him is a question mark for coaches and prognosticators, but that's far from a bad thing as Johnson has the option to star at many different sets.

"The coaches like me as an athlete," Johnson said about his future. They aren't yet because I can play all over the field, but I know wherever they put me I'll do well."

The physical athlete has had many the opportunities to see his future team in action making his decision even easier to make. The crowd and the players had him ready to compete in the SEC.

"The atmosphere there and the love they show me made it an easy decision," Johnson said of MSU. "Seeing how the players just played hard for each other and the way that the sidelines were hyped up is exciting. It isn't like that on the sidelines at Ole Miss."

Johnson will make many more trips to MSU in the future with junior days and Big Dawg Camp in the distant future. He marks MSU's fourth commitment for the 2015 class joining T.D. Moton, Tim Washington and Donald Gray.