Mississippi State
Recently hired head coach Dan Mullen inherited a solid class, including one ESPNU 150 prospect from Sylvester Croom, and Mullen quickly hit the trail and landed some gems of his own. The former offensive coordinator for the national-champion Florida Gators split time between two schools upon his hire in December, but he made a huge splash on the trail once he officially became a full-time coach in Starkville. Mullen's biggest recruiting achievement was landing Chad Bumphis (Tupelo, Miss.), the state's top-rated athlete and the No. 120 prospect in the ESPNU 150. Bumphis could serve as a Percy Harvin in the new head coach's system. Fellow top-10 Mississippi athletes LaDarius Perkins (Greenville, Miss./St. Joseph) and Dennis Thames (Louisville, Miss.) joined Bumphis with pledges. Look for the versatile, quick-footed Perkins to serve in a similar role as Bumphis. Under Armour All-American running back Montrell Conner (Monroe, La./Ouachita Parish) is still the Bulldogs' top commitment heading into signing day in a quietly strong class from top to bottom.Top prospect: Conner could be a workhorse in Starkville. He is physically gifted with a great blend of size and straight-line speed. We project he will develop into a high-carry guy with the downhill strength and deceptive burst to earn productive yards after contact and wear down a defense. This physical specimen is a bit stiff in the hips, though. If he can't make the transition to running back in Mullen's system, expect him to play linebacker for the Bulldogs.
Don't be surprised if … Mullen signs both 6-foot-3 top-25 receivers Patrick Patterson (Macon, Miss./Noxubee County) and Lamar Scruggs (Neptune Beach, Fla./Fletcher).
