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Mississippi State adds eight signees to top 25 class

Mississippi State added eight signees today and they will join the 14 that signed during the early period in December. Rivals ranks the class at the 24th best in the nation.

Below are quotes from Moorhead's press conference.


Head Coach Joe MoorheadFebruary 6, 2019

Opening Statement …

“Good afternoon. It’s great to see everybody. Welcome to Signing Day Part Two. You can feel the excitement in the air. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. It’s certainly a combination of a year’s worth of work to add these eight guys to the 14 that we signed in December. I certainly feel it’s important that we express our thanks to the people who made this thing happen, including Mike Villagrana and our recruiting staff. They worked tirelessly to identify our prospects, organize all of our recruiting weekends, and set up our travel on the road. Those guys have done an unbelievable job with our assistant coaches getting to know these guys, cultivating relationships with the families and coaches for over two to three years for this class. And certainly, thank you to the high school coaches in Mississippi and the surrounding areas for allowing us to recruit their student athletes. Lastly, most importantly, thank you to the families and the players for their belief in us and our vision and our culture and the things we have to offer at Mississippi State, academically and athletically. We are certainly very grateful to them. We’re very excited with the 22 guys –11 from Mississippi, three from Alabama, two from both Florida and Tennessee, one from Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey and North Carolina. It’s a pretty good balance. Eleven on offense, 10 on defense and then one specialist. When you look through, there’s always a delicate balance in roster management and recruiting in making sure that you’re addressing positional needs, while at the same time, recruiting the best available players regardless of position. I think that we did a good job along those lines, when you look at it and we talk specifically about those guys we added today, but also mention the guys in the first class, starting with quarterback Garrett Shrader, who is a four-star consensus top-300 player. He could have gone to play at just about anywhere in the country. He’s a mid-year enrollee and doing a real nice job for us right now. I’m excited to see him in the spring. At the running back position, we were planning to add two with the departure of Aeris Williams and Dontavian Lee, and we did. We added a junior college prospect today, Kareem Walker. I’ve known him since his days in New Jersey. He kind of took the path from there to Ann Arbor, to Kansas and now here. I believe he was the No. 2 or 3 ranked running back in the country when he came out of high school. He’s done a good job there and I’m excited to see a more mature and seasoned version of him. Certainly, if you all read the Bleacher Report article yesterday on Lee Witherspoon, I think that is something that we’re going to have to continue to do at Mississippi State. We’re striving to achieve our goal of a championship team. We may not always get the five-star prospects, but we’re going to find guys who are a little bit under the radar. For a guy that averaged 19.2 yards a carry and scored almost 16 touchdowns in his first year as tailback, I think we’re all going to be excited about the things Lee brings to the table. At the receiver position, today, we added JaVonta Payton from Northwest Community College in Mississippi. He’s the No. 2 junior college prospect in the country at his position. I think he’s going to come in and have the opportunity to compete right away. I think he brings a unique skill-set of speed, size and athleticism. Adding to that, another in-state prospect Kyziah Pruitt did a great job in the Mississippi-Alabama game. He was banged up with injuries a little bit early on in the year but finished very strong. Quinton Torbor from Destrehan, Louisiana, competed for the state championship down there and came real close to it. He really improved as the season went on. We didn’t add any tight ends today. We added one offensive lineman today, Brandon Cunningham from St. Martin, Mississippi, an in-state product who could probably play tackle or guard for us. On top of that, we added Charles Cross, one of the top-ranked players in the state, five-star and early-enrollee. There’s Nick Pendley, who’s recruitment heated up at the tail end as much as than anyone in the country. LaQuinston Sharp is a local junior college product, and there’s Brevyn Jones from the state of Alabama. At defensive line, obviously, today’s big addition was Nathan Pickering out of Seminary High School. He’s a four-star, top-10 prospect in the state. He could have gone just about anywhere. He’s a longtime commit, and we’re excited to keep him on board. We’re very excited about what Nathan brings to the table. We didn’t bring any linebackers in. Obviously, Jack Harris out of Oak Grove High School. Ani Izuchukwu is enrolled and De’Monte Russell, another guy out of Provine High School in-state is a top-100 guy. We’re really excited about his future. Then, at the defensive back position, where we were hit hard with graduation, I think we did a great job with safeties. Fred Peters is already enrolled. We’re expecting him to compete. J.P. Purvis is a guy who I think was one of the more underrated prospects in the country. We added Collin Duncan today, a guy with great intelligence, a great football IQ and a lot of mobility. He had a lot of people chasing him down in the tail end, so we’re excited to add him. At the corner position, Jarrian Jones is an in-state prospect from Northwest Rankin. Martin Emerson was a huge get today. We had to fend off some schools in Florida and a bunch of other people for him. He has a lot of length, a lot of size and a lot of athleticism there. Dylan Lawrence is a guy we listed as a corner, but we’re not quite sure what he’s going to play. He brings a lot of height, speed and athleticism with a 6-4 frame. I think his best ball is ahead of him. And then, the last guy in the class, Corliss Waitman, a punter graduate transfer from South Alabama who special teams coach Joey Jones was with [when he coached at South Alabama]. I think he’s going to come in with one year of eligibility and do a great job, compete and give us an opportunity to upgrade at that position. We’re certainly very excited. I love the guys we brought in today, a great addition to the 14 we signed early. Depending on what service you subscribe to or believe in, it’s another top-25 class for us. It’s certainly one for us to build on heading into the future with our 2020 class. We already have six commitments in that class and we’re headed in the right direction there.”


On recruiting rankings when assessing a signing class …

“I think it’s a barometer. I think it’s a piece of information. I don’t think it necessarily makes or breaks you by any means. I do believe that the people who run those services put in an inordinate amount of time to try to get it right and be accurate. Certainly if you’re keeping score, I, and we, want to be the best. There’s a competition aspect to it. I don’t think it’s something where you look at it and say, “We need to be ranked in this area.” Certainly, there is a correlation between recruitment ranking and success, as much as you want to admit or not admit it. For us to be in the top 25 now for the second straight year, with a number of four and five-star guys we added, in addition to some under-the-radar prospects, I think it’s a good piece of information. Those guys work hard and I think they do a good job with it.”


On the target number of signees for the 2019 class …

“We made a conscious decision as a staff. We’re going to look to address our positional needs. We’re going to look to take the best available. With the way recruiting is going now and the availability of players down the road through the transfer portal, we felt it probably benefitted us to have a couple left if we were able to find a guy with experience down the road who could help us address one of our glaring positional needs.”


On coaching staff changes over the over last month …

“I think we did our best to minimize the effect it would have on the class. I don’t think you can completely stick your head in the sand and look the other way either. You are talking about guys who built relationships with players we recruited for well over a year’s worth of time. So, to say it didn’t have an effect, to me, would be foolish. I think [it helped] having a plan and replacing them very quickly with incredibly competent, qualified people. Certainly at the running back position, Terry Richardson is a guy I worked with at UConn, who has playing and coaching experience in college and the NFL. He has worked with a ton of pros and done an unbelievable job in recruiting. I think that helped, and certainly Michael Johnson, a coordinator in the NFL and college has developed a bunch of pro guys. And then there’s Deke Adams, who’s an in-state guy and has coached Jadeveon Clowney. Certainly, with whatever it was, a week and a half or two weeks left in recruiting, to lose guys that had been recruiting people at key positions was less than ideal, but I think our response to that, our readiness and having people available and bringing them in quickly helped minimize the effect on the class.”


On the approach to long-time commits in February, who don’t sign in December …

“I think that is something we are going to have to continue to look at and address as a staff moving forward. I think that is one of the benefits of the early signing period is that the guys that want to be here, they are going to sign, be a part of the class, and recruiting is over. The thing you need to examine is the guys who are committed, but don’t sign. Are they taking other visits to confirm their commitment to the school or are they taking other visits to enjoy the experience, for lack of a better term? That is always a delicate balance and you are never really quite sure. I don’t know if there is a greater or correct answer to it, but it is something that merits more discussion by our staff moving forward. I don’t know if you will ever have the right answer because it is such a fluid situation. No two kids’ situations are alike.”


On the linebacker position …

“That is certainly a position that we didn’t lose anyone to graduation this year. We didn’t think there was an immediate need from a one-year perspective. There were a couple of guys we made a run at but didn’t get and I think that goes back to the best available as opposed to positional need. You always look at it as a one-year need and a two-year need, so the 2020 class is one where I would highly anticipate us taking one or more linebackers.”


On what the moment was like communicating with Dylan Lawrence on his offer?

“We had been in contact with Dylan, and he had always been around. He had been at a bunch of games and is a guy that grew up as a State fan wanting to be here. There is a part of me that that means something to. He has the ability. He has the upside. He is another one of those guys that is under the radar. I was looking at some of the rankings, and Montez Sweat was the 51st-ranked JUCO prospect in the country and something like 7th in the state [prior to MSU]. It was something ridiculous when you look back and say now, he is a first-round pick. I guess that is the beauty of recruiting. It is an inexact science. There may be a guy that you recruit that has no stars or three stars and ends up being an NFL guy. Then, there are five-star guys that don’t always pan out the way they are supposed to. That’s our job as coaches to make sure they develop them. I think he has a lot of upside and a lot of potential. I’m not sure what position he will end up at, but I think his best football is ahead of him.”


On in-state players who chose other programs …

“Not being able to comment on any of those guys specifically because they are signed with other schools, going back to day one, as it was this year and will continue to be in the future, we are going to do everything we can first and foremost to keep the best players in the state of Mississippi at home. We’ve done everything that we could throughout this cycle to make sure that happened. I think we signed five of the top 20 if I’m not mistaken. When you look at the numbers, we had a good number in the top 10. We made a run at all the ones we felt would upgrade us as a football team, and I think we hit on our fair share when you go back and look at them.”


On four-star defensive tackle Nathan Pickering being an advocate for the program during his recruiting process …

“Particularly, with the late change in coaching there, I think that was huge. Nathan always had a firm belief in myself, our defensive staff, our university and our football program. For him to be a guy that could have gone just about anywhere in the country if he wanted to, through thick and thin, high and low, through all the changes, he remained steadfast and firm in his commitment to us. He was relatively vocal about it through the latter stages of the process. There has been a long history of defensive linemen in this state who have decided to stay home at Mississippi State and gone on to great success on the field and in the classroom. I believe Nathan will be the next guy in that line. I appreciate the heck out of him and his family because they held true to what they said they were going to do.”

Class of 2019 Bios

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Charles Cross, OL, 6-5, 270, Laurel, Miss. (Laurel HS)

Early enrollee who began classes at MSU in January 2019 ... Tough, physical offensive lineman known

for his reactive quickness both as a run blocker and in pass protection ... A five-star offensive

tackle by 247Sports and Rivals ... The first five-star offensive lineman in program history and the

Bulldogs' highest­ rated signee on the offensive side of the ball since five-star running back

Jerious Norwood in 2002 ...Earned four stars from ESPN ... Listed as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Mississippi by both

247Sports and Rivals ... Tabbed as a top-20 prospect nationally by 247Sports (No. 8) and Rivals

(No. 17) ... Ranked 84th in the country in the ESPN300 ... Rated the No. 2 offensive tackle in

the nation by 247Sports and No. 3 by Rivals ... Coached by Todd Breland at Laurel ... Boasts a

versatile skillset and ability to play multiple spots on the offensive line ... Had a standout

performance in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas ... Competed in the

Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game ... 2018 Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen selection ... Named First

Team Offensive Line on the SA All-State Team by the Mississippi Association of Coaches and earned a

spot on the SA All-Region 3 Team by the Region 3 coaches ...Helped Laurel to a 10-4 overall record, which included a 7-0 mark in district play ... Anchored an offensive line that helped the offense eclipsed the 40-point mark six times during the season ...

Committed to MSU on Dec. 9, 2018 ... Twitter handle is @CharlesCross67.

Brandon Cunningham, OL, 6-4, 305, St. Martin, Miss. (St. Martin HS)

An athletic four-star prospect according to 247Sports and ESPN, who has good speed and power ...

Raced downfield on plays after initial blocks ... Ranked as the 15th-best player in the state of

Mississippi by 247Sports and Rivals ... A top-40 offensive tackle nationally, per 247Sports (No.

34) and ESPN (No. 40)... Tabbed as the 356th best prospect in the country by 247Sports ... Named to the 2018 American

Family Insurance ALL-USA Mississippi Football second team ... Helped St. Martin to an appearance

in the Class 6A playoffs ... Coached by Eddie Whitehead ... Played in the Bernard Blackwell

All-Star Classic and in the World Bowl in Mexico City following senior year ... Twitter handle is

@iambrandonlett.

Collin Duncan, S, 6-0, 195, Montgomery, Ala. (St. James School)

A smart, instinctive player with good length, who played both ways in high school ... Rated as a

three-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals ... Ranked as the 16th-best player in the state

of Alabama by 247Sports ... Listed as the 47th-ranked cornerback by 247Sports ... Two-time

All-Metro selection during career ... As a senior, made 63 tackles and recorded a pair of

interceptions ... On offense, ran for 12 touchdowns and threw for two ... Helped St. James to a

10-2 record and was named to the Montgomery Advisor's All-State first team ... Landed on the Class

1A-4A All-Metro football team ... Picked off one pass as a junior, rushed for five touchdowns and

threw two touchdowns ... Collected a career-high five interceptions as a sophomore ... Twitter

handle is @COLLINDUNCAN0S.

Martin Emerson, CB, 6-1, 185, Pensacola, Fla. (Pine Forest HS)

A physical playmaker with quality size and speed ... Played cornerback in high school but more

frequently at strong safety in the box ... Listed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and

Rivals ... Totaled 149 tackles, eight pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception during his

junior and senior seasons ... Earned PNJ All-Area honors for the second straight season in 2018

... As a senior, finished third on the team with 91 tackles and added two tackles for loss ... Also broke up four passes,

recorded one interception, and forced one fumble and recovered two ... During junior year in his

only full season playing defensive back, had a team-high 58 tackles and five pass breakups under

first-year head coach Jason McDonald ... Took the Eagles into the region quarterfinals ...

Twitter handle is @MartyMarggl.

Jack Harris, DE, 6-2, 230, Sumrall, Miss. (Oak Grove HS)

A three-star defensive end by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN ... A top-30 player in the state of

Mississippi by 247Sports (No. 27) and ESPN (No. 28) ... Prepped at Oak Grove under head coach Drew

Causey ...Helped lead the Warriors to a 12-3 overall record and an appearance in the Class 6A state

championship game as a senior ... Earned Region 3-6A all region first-team honors ... Selected to

play in the 70th Annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game ... Recorded 73 tackles, including 13 for

loss, made six sacks, forced one fumble, recovered one fumble and hurried the quarterback three

times ... As a junior, made 101 total tackles, including 20 for loss, and logged 12 sacks ...

Also played some offensive reps as a wildcat quarterback and had three rushing touchdowns ...

Committed to MSU on June 2, 2018 ... Twitter handle is @jack_harris_l2.

Ani lzuchukwu, DE, 6-4, 225, Hendersonville, Tenn. (Davidson Academy)

Early enrollee who began classes at MSU in January 2019 ... A three-star defensive end prospect

according to 247Sports and Rivals ... Listed a four-star recruit by ESPN ... Tabbed as the

fifth-best recruit from the state of Tennessee by ESPN ... 2017 Tennessean All-Midstate Third Team

... Prepped at Davidson Academy under head coach Jonathan Quinn ... Totaled 80 tackles over his

career, including 19.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks ... As a sophomore, grabbed 16 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for

loss and broke up two passes ... Collected 23 tackles as junior with nine going for loss ...

Added four sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in just six games played ... Helped

Davidson to the 2018 Class 2A State Championship ... Closed season with 36 total tackles,

including 21 solo stops, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one pass breakup and 20 quarterback hurries ... Committed to MSU on April 11, 2018 ... Nickname is "King" ... Twitter handle is @izuchukwuanil2.

Brevyn Jones, OL, 6-3, 261, Center Point, Ala. (Huffman HS)

An athletic offensive tackle prospect that displays great footwork ... A consensus three-star

offensive tackle by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN ... Listed as the 33rd-ranked recruit from the

state of Alabama by ESPN ... Tabbed as the 56th-best offensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class

by ESPN ... Prepped at Huffman High under head coach Alex Wilson ... Earned the starting position

as the team's left tackle ... Originally committed to MSU on Oct. 31, 2018 ... Twitter handle is

@BrevynJ.

Jarrian Jones, CB, 6-0, 185, Brandon, Miss. (Northwest Rankin HS)

Athletic four-star prospect, according to 247 Sports and ESPN, from nearby Brandon, Miss....

Big-time playmaker who saw action at both wide receiver and defensive back ... Listed as the No. 13 recruit

from the state of Mississippi and the No. 20 safety in the country by both ESPN and 247 Sports ...

Tabbed a three-star prospect by Rivals ... Competed in the 2018 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game ...

Named a 2018 Dandy Dozen by the Clarion Ledger ... Accepted an invitation to compete in the 2019 Under

Armour All-American Game ... Prepped at Northwest Rankin under head coach Toby Collums ...Totaled 82 career receptions for 1,772 yards and 26 touchdowns ... Defensively, grabbed 37 total tackles, seven pass breakups and five interceptions over his career ... Returned three of his five career interceptions for touchdowns ... Also saw time as both a kick returner and punt returner ...

Totaled 22 tackles over his sophomore season and collected three interceptions, returning all three

for touchdowns... Saw his first action as a receiver as a junior, collecting 28 receptions for 641 yards and

eight touchdowns ... Added seven tackles, three pass breakups and an interception ... Led

Northwest Rankin to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs as a senior ... Ended his senior

year with 55 catches for 1,151 yards and 18 touchdowns ... Defensively, tallied five tackles,

three pass breakups, one forced fumble and one interception ... Committed to MSU on June 2, 2018

... Twitter handle is @7reasonslk.

Dylan Lawrence, CB, 6-4, 190, George County, Miss. (George County HS)

A three-star athlete according to 247Sports and Rivals ... Played both defensive back and wide

receiver during high school career ... Coached by Matt Caldwell ... As a senior, recorded 61

tackles, three sacks and three pass deflections ... Registered 76 tackles and an interception at

safety as a junior ... Twitter handle is @_dml_4.

JaVonta Payton, WR, 6-1, 180, Nashville, Tenn. (Northwest [Miss.] CC)

A versatile playmaker on offense, who is listed as a four-star wide receiver by ESPN ... Ranked

ninth overall in the ESPN JC50 ... Top-ranked wide receiver in junior college, per ESPN ... Rated

as the 24th- best prospect and the second-best wide receiver in junior college by 247Sports ... As

a sophomore at Northwest Mississippi CC in 2018, started nine of 10 games played ... Caught 23

passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns ... Longest catch of the season was 40 yards ... Had a

season-high 111 receiving yards and one touchdown catch on five receptions in the season opener

against East Central CC ... Started all but one game as a freshman at Northwest Mississippi CC in

2017 ... Had 44 receptions for 509 yards (12th in MACJC) and nine touchdowns ... Averaged 11.6

yards per catch ... Had a breakout nine-catch game for 130 yards and two touchdowns against Holmes

CC ... Named to the Spring 2018 Vice President's List... In high school, played for head coach Craig Clayton at Hillsboro (Tenn.) ... As a senior, had 24 receptions for 452 yards and seven touchdowns ... Added 63 carries for 484 yards and six

touchdowns on the ground ... First-team all-state selection ... Named team's offensive MVP ...

Played in 2016 Toyota East vs. West Tennessee All-Star Classic ... Also ran track and won

individual state titles in the 4xl00- meter relay ... Nickname is "Tay" ... Twitter handle is

@JcpSlide.

Nick Pendley, OL, 6-4, 280, Canton, Ga. (Creekview HS)

A consensus three-star offensive tackle prospect from Canton, Ga.... Listed as the No. 25 offensive

guard and the No. 50 recruit from the state of Georgia by Rivals ... Considered the No. 74 prospect in

the state of Georgia by 247Sports ... Prepped at Creekview High School under head coach Adam Carter ...

Three­ time First Team All-County selection ... Three-time First Team All-Region honoree ... Earned two

All­-State selections over his prep career ... Led Creekview to the third round of the Class 6A state

playoffs ....Originally committed to MSU on Dec. 10, 2018 ... Twitter handle is @NickPen74.

Fred Peters, S, 5-10, 200, Columbia, Miss. (Jones County [Miss.] JC)

Early enrollee who began classes at MSU in January 2019 ... One of the elite safeties on the

junior college level and a four-star prospect, according to Rivals ... Could contribute

immediately next season ... Listed as the fifth-best junior college recruit from the state of

Mississippi by 247Sports ... Tabbed as the No. 4 JUCO safety in the country by 247Sports ... Listed as one of the top junior college recruits among all positions, ranking No. 31 and No. 47 nationally by 247Sports and Rivals, respectively ...

Spent the last two seasons at Jones County Community College .... Turned in a solid freshman

season, recording 64 tackles, two interceptions and two tackles for loss ... Helped the Bobcats to a 10-2 overall record as

Jones County advanced to the MACJC Championship Game ... Closed the season by leading the Bobcats to a 27-7

victory over Eastern Arizona in the Mississippi Bowl ... Ended sophomore campaign with 51 total

tackles with 42 solo stops, seven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, three pass breakups and one

interception ...Named 2018 MACJC South Division Most Valuable Defensive Back ... Added All-Region 23 and First Team All-MACJC South Division honors this past season ... Prepped at Columbia High School in

Columbia, Miss.... Committed to MSU on Oct. 17, 2018 ... Twitter handle is @_ASAPxDON.

Nathan Pickering, DT, 6-4, 300, Mount Olive, Miss. (Seminary HS)

A quick, athletic and versatile defensive lineman with edge ability but is a dominant force inside

... Consensus four-star defensive lineman by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals ... Listed as the

fourth-best recruit in the state of Mississippi by 247Sports and ESPN and the sixth-best by Rivals

... Tabbed as a top-100 prospect nationally by 247Sports (No. 64) and ESPN (No. 78) ... Consensus

top-10 defensive tackle according to 247Sports (No. 6), Rivals (No. 8) and ESPN (No. 10) ...

Racked up nearly 300 total tackles, 115 tackles for loss and 21 sacks in four seasons at Seminary

... Coached by Brian Rials ... Dominated during senior season with 97 total tackles, an

impressive 43 tackles for loss and 10 sacks ... Also intercepted a pass, caused six fumbles, broke

up two passes, registered 20 quarterback hurries and even scored six touchdowns on offense ...

Helped lead Seminary to a runner-up finish in 3A and landed on the Clarion Ledger's 2018 All-State

first team ... 2018 semifinalist for the Maxwell Club's National High School Player of the Year

Award which is presented yearly by adidas to the nation's best scholastic football player ...

Competed in the 2019 Under Armour All-America Game ... Recorded five tackles in Mississippi's

24-20 win over Alabama in the 2018 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game ... 2018 Clarion Ledger Dandy

Dozen selection ... Participated in Nike's The Opening in Summer 2018 ... As a junior, totaled 85

tackles and 35 tackles for a loss - an average of three per game ... Also recorded five sacks

and caught five passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns ... During sophomore season, logged 26

tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks and finished with 72 total tackles ... As a freshman, turned in 45

total tackles, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks ... Twitter handle is @TheRealNathan22.

Kyziah Pruitt, WR, 5-10, 180, Macon, Miss. (Noxubee County HS)

A consensus three-star recruit and one of the top in-state wide receivers ... Listed as the No. 24

and No. 23 prospect, regardless of position, from the state of Mississippi by ESPN and 247Sports,

respectively ... A playmaker with great hands that is athletic enough to play all over the field

... Named to the Clarion Ledger's 2017 All-State team ... Invited to compete in the 2018

Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game ...Prepped at Noxubee County High School under head coach Tyrone Shorter, the same school that

produced Jeffery Simmons ... Over 49 career games, recorded 2,824 receiving yards and 29

touchdowns... Added 592 career yards rushing and 12 scores on the ground ... Appeared in 13 contests as a

freshman, recording two catches for five yards ... Capped a breakout sophomore campaign with 70

receptions for 1,248 yards and 14 touchdowns ... Turned in a second 1,000-yard receiving season as

a junior behind 83 catches for 1,230 yards and 13 scores ... Totaled 1,499 all-purpose yards as a

junior ... Helped Noxubee County to the second round of the 2018 4A state playoffs ... Ended his

senior campaign with 28 receptions for 362 yards and two touchdowns ... Added 59 rushing for 445 yards and nine

touchdowns that same season ... Saw time at quarterback during senior campaign, closing the season

5-of-6 for 149 yards and two scores ... Often used in the defensive secondary for the Tigers ...

Committed to MSU on June 13, 2018 ... Twitter handle is @KyziahP.

Javeious "J.P." Purvis, S, 6-0, 195, Pelahatchie, Miss. (Pelahatchie Attendance Center)

A three-star prospect, according to 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN ... Ranked as a top-30 player in

the state of Mississippi by Rivals (No. 22), 247Sports (No. 26) and ESPN (No. 26) ... Listed as

the 50th-best athlete in the nation by Rivals ... Tabbed as the 69th-ranked safety in the country

by 247Sports ... Coached by Sam Williams at Pelahatchie ... Threw for 5,269 yards and tossed 53

touchdown passes while rushing for 4,832 yards and 71 touchdowns in four seasons ... Averaged 7.8

yards per carry and totaled 24 individual 100-yard rushing games during his career ...

Defensively, racked up 181 total tackles, including 25.5 for loss, and made six interceptions ...

As a senior, helped Pelahatchie to an 11-2 record and was named WAPT's Blitz 16 Player of the Year

... Passed for almost 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns to just one interception with 1,341 yards

rushing and 23 more scores ... Racked up 73 tackles, including 14 for loss, recorded four sacks,

and made three interceptions as a defensive back ... Turned in eight multi-passing touchdown

performances and nine multi-rushing touchdown efforts ... Threw at least one touchdown in 11 of 13

games and rushed for at least one touchdown in all but one game ... Accounted for five touchdowns

(three passing, two rushing) and logged a season-high 321 passing yards in the 49-43 loss to Bay

Springs in the 2A south quarterfinals, which snapped Pelahatchie's streak of 10 straight wins ... Posted a season-high 215 yards on the ground and his second three rushing-touchdown game on Oct. 12, in the 41-21 win over Pisgah ... Named WLBT's SportsDeck Player of the Week after he completed 6 of 10 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for two scores and returned an interception

for a touchdown on Sept. 7, in Pelahatchie's 56-0 win against West Lincoln ... As a junior,

completed 116 of 212 passes for 1,624 yards and 19 touchdowns ... Carried it 185 times for 1,728

yards and 20 more scores and also caught two passes for 24 yards and a touchdown ... Defensively,

made 37 tackles, seven for loss, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles and three recoveries ...

Competed in the Mississippi/ Alabama All-Star Game ... Committed to MSU on April 9, 2018 ...

Twitter handle is @hoopah_3.

De'Monte Russell, DE, 6-4, 220, Jackson, Miss. (Provine HS)

Explosive speed edge rusher that ranks as one of the top recruits from Mississippi ... A four-star

defensive end prospect according to 247Sports and ESPN ... Tabbed the No. 10 recruit from the state

of Mississippi by 247Sports ... Ranked the 14th overall recruit from the state by Rivals and ESPN

... Considered the eighth-best weakside defensive end in the country by 247Sports ... Accepted an

invitation to compete in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game ... Earned Most Valuable Player

honors at the Under Armour Big Man Challenge and the Rivals 3-Stripe Camp ... Prepped at Provine

High School under head coach Tim Wilson ... Collected 131 total tackles over his prep career,

including 37 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks ... As a sophomore with the Rams, grabbed 21 total tackles, seven tackles for loss,

three sacks and recovered a fumble ... Posted 58 total tackles as junior with a career-best 18

tackles for loss and six sacks ... Grabbed 52 tackles over senior campaign with 12 tackles for

loss and 5.5 sacks ... Recorded a career-high four forced fumbles over his final season at Provine

... Committed to MSU on April 12, 2018... A two-sport athlete that also lettered in basketball ... Twitter handle is @monte_russell.

LaOuinston Sharp, OL, 6-3, 310, Columbus, Miss. (East [Miss.] CC)

Early enrollee who began classes at MSU in January 2019 ... Powerful offensive lineman that was a

part of East Mississippi Community College's 2017 and 2018 NJCAA National Championship runs ... A

consensus three-star prospect ... Ranked the No. 2 junior college offensive guard by both

247Sports and ESPN ... Listed as the No. 23 and No. 24 JUCO prospect in the country by 247Sports

and Rivals, respectively ... Tabbed the third-best junior college player from the state of

Mississippi by 247Sports ...Over his two seasons at EMCC, earned the starting job at right tackle ... As a freshman, opened

lanes for EMCC to rush for 2,335 yards, averaging 194.6 yards per game ... EMCC closed the 2017

season averaging 494.1 yards of total offense and 48.3 points per game ... Missed most of the 2018

season due to injury, seeing action in just four games ... Prepped at nearby Columbus High School

in Columbus, Miss... . Originally committed to MSU on Sept. 23, 2018 ... Twitter handle is @laquinstonsantl.

Garrett Shrader, OB, 6-4, 210, Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Christian School)

Early enrollee who began classes at MSU in January 2019 ... One of the top dual-threat

quarterbacks in the nation for the Class of2019 ... Displays great decision in the pocket with the

ability to make moves with his legs ... Listed as a four-star prospect by 247Sports Composite,

ESPN and Rivals ... Ranked the fourth-best recruit from the state of North Carolina by ESPN and

No. 11 in the state by 247Sports .. .Tabbed the No. 6 and No. 8 player in the country at his position by ESPN and Rivals, respectively

.. . Prepped at Charlotte Christian under head coach Jason Estep ... Led the Saints to

back-to-back NCISAA Division I Championships in 2017 and 2018 .... Selected as the 2017 and 2018

CISAA Player of the Year... Collected First Team All-State honors ... Racked up 9,023 total offensive yards and 107

touchdowns over his prep career ... Racked up 6,818 career passing yards and completed 489 of his 743 passing

attempts (.658) ... Threw for 75 touchdowns in 34 career games played ... Tallied 2,205 career

rushing yards and 32 touchdowns on the ground as a Knight ... Threw for 2,594 yards and 29 touchdowns as a

sophomore ... Added 615 on the ground with five rushing scores ... As a junior, passed for 2,302

yards and 24 touchdowns ... Rushed for 791 yards and 10 touchdowns that same season ... Closed his

senior season with 2,564 yards through the air with 29 touchdowns ... Picked up 799 yards on the ground

for 17 scores in 2018 ... Committed to MSU on April 3, 2018 ... Lettered in basketball ... Twitter

handle is @GarrettShrader6.

Quinton Torbor, WR, 6-2, 190, Destrehan, La. (Destrehan HS)

A dynamic wide receiver that's tabbed a four-star recruit by ESPN ... Speed player that can use

his athletic ability to rush past defenders ... Listed as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and

247Sports ... Ranked 50th in the country among all wide receiver prospects according to ESPN ...

Evaluated as the No. 16 recruit from the state of Louisiana by ESPN and No. 23 by 247Sports ...

Prepped at Destrehan High School under head coach Stephen Robicheaux ... Led Destrehan to the 2018

Class SA semifinal game ... Closed his senior campaign with 44 catches for 685 yards and four

touchdowns ... Added nine rushes for 77 yards and two scores ... Earned letters in track and

field ... Committed to MSU on April 4, 2018 ...

Twitter handle is @QToborl4.

Corliss Waitman, P, 6-2, 205, Milton, Fla. (South Alabama)

A graduate transfer who spent the last three seasons at South Alabama ... Earned his undergraduate

degree in December 2018 ... As a junior in 2018, punted 67 times for 2,792 yards ... Averaged

41.7 yards per punt with a long of 58 ... 15 punts went SO-plus yards and 27 were fair caught ...

Placed 19 punts inside the 20 ... 27 punts were fair caught ... Kicked off 55 times for 3,017

yards and a 54.9 average ... A first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection ... Named first-team

all-league by Phil Steele ... Was a three­ star prospect by ESPN out of high school ... Lettered

for two years at Milton... A first-team all-state and all-area selection as a senior after punting

43 times for an average of 44 yards per kick.

Kareem Walker, RB, 6-0, 210, Irvington, N.J. (Fort Scott [Kan.] CC)

A three-star running back by 247Sports ... Ranked as the fifth-best junior college running back

prospect, according to 247Sports ... Coached by Kale Pick at Fort Scott CC ... Rushed 64 times for

207 yards and a touchdown in seven games played as a sophomore ... Turned in a season-high 102

yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in the second game of the season against Coffeyville CC ...

Signed with Michigan out of high school, where he appeared in five games and recorded 20 carries

for 68 yards and one touchdown in 2017 ... Rated as the No. 4 running back, No. 45 overall recruit

and No. 2 prospect from New Jersey out of high school in the 2016 class, according to ESPN ...

Attended DePaul Catholic High School and was coached by John McKenna ... Played in the 2016 Under

Armour All-American Game ... Two-time NJ.com first team all-state selection ... Named to the

PrepStar Magazine Top 150 Dream Team ... Was a Rivals.com four-star prospect ranked No. 21 overall

nationally and the No. 1 running back prospect ... Totaled 4,563 rushing yards and 55 rushing

touchdowns in high school ... Also caught 19 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns ... Rushed

for 1,517 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior ... Racked up 1,607 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns

during junior season ... Grounded out 1,164 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore ... Twitter

handle is @_Kareem Walker.

Lee Witherspoon, RB, 5-10, 180, Birmingham, Ala. (North Jackson HS)

A consensus three-star recruit that is coming off a record-breaking senior season ... Ranked the

No. 19 recruit from the state of Alabama by 247Sports ... Listed as the 34th-ranked athlete among

the 2019 class by 247Sports ... Tabbed as the 43rd ranked running back in the country by ESPN ...

Competed in the 2018 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game ... Transferred to North Jackson High

School prior to his senior season and broke two Alabama state records ... Played under head coach

Mark Rose ... Broke the Alabama single-season state record for rushing touchdowns with 53 ...

Holds the AHSAA record for total touchdowns in a season with 59 total scores ... Led the state as

a senior with 2,846 total rushing yards, averaging 19.2 yards per carry ... Added three receptions

for 67 yards and a touchdown ... Defensively, totaled 25 tackles with 11 solo stops, four tackles

for loss, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and one interception, which he returned for a

touchdown ... Saw special teams action with 10 punt returns for 356 yards and three touchdowns

and returned one kickoff for 80 yards and a score ... His efforts helped North Jackson produce a

program-record 677 points during the 2018 season ... Standout track athlete that finished second

in the 2017 Class 4A 100-meter dash with a time of 10.85 ... Committed to MSU on Nov. 27, 2018 ...

Twitter handle is @LeeWitherspoon9.

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