Recruiting Update: Top Mississippi Prospects Converge at Mississippi State
Mississippi State received nine commitments in the past week and is possibly expecting more. The team welcomed official visitors, with a primary emphasis on out-of-state prospects.
Head coach Jeff Lebby expressed his commitment to recruiting top Mississippi players, and this weekend there is potential for some top players to visit. Will MSU be able to maintain its recruiting momentum?
Kevin Oatis Jr.
4-star defensive lineman Kevin Oatis Jr .will be visiting the campus this weekend. Hailing from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, he is a high priority for the MSU coaching staff, especially after the Bulldogs missed out on recruiting some top defensive linemen from the Magnolia state last year, landing only Terrance Hibbler.
Standing at 6’2″ and weighing 285 pounds, Oatis is known for his explosive first step and ability to maintain good pad level while playing. Despite initially planning to visit USC, he canceled that trip after visiting Arkansas earlier this month. Mississippi State will make an effort to secure his commitment this weekend, and if successful, Oatis would become the second 4-star defensive lineman in the 2025 class.
KaMario Taylor
Coaches often emphasize the importance of securing a quarterback early on in the recruiting process. While last season saw the addition of Michael Van Buren late in the process, this year, Lebby has secured his quarterback early.
KaMario Taylor’s commitment to the Bulldogs under Zach Arnett has remained steadfast since the beginning. Despite not having played his senior season of high school football, the 4-star quarterback from Macon, Miss., is considered perhaps the most physically gifted quarterback recruited by State. Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 205 pounds, Taylor recently showcased his skills at the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback camp. His exceptional talent has led to speculation that he could even reach 5-star status by signing day.
Regardless, it is likely that the product of Noxubee County will become the highest-rated quarterback recruit in MSU history, marking a significant achievement for Lebby in his inaugural class.
Mario Nash Jr.
Another 4-star recruit will be visiting the campus this weekend, and it’s in a position that Lebby places a strong emphasis on. Hailing from De Kalb, Miss., Nash has had a busy month, having made official visits to LSU and Ole Miss.
Nash is 6’4″ tall and weighs 280 pounds, and he participated in MSU’s camp last year before gaining significant attention from recruiters. Despite his size, he impressed with his agility and strength. However, it seems that Nash has managed to pack on more weight, and it has paid off as he now looks the part of an SEC-caliber offensive lineman.
MSU is likely to actively pursue Nash’s commitment, as they do with most in-state recruits. Notably, Mississippi State’s offensive line coach Cody Kennedy has established himself as an exceptional recruiter during his tenure in Starkville. With one of their top prospects, State arguably has one of its best recruiters on the case.
Tyler Lockhart
It came as a surprise when Lockhart decided to commit to Auburn on May 6th, especially considering the strong connections MSU had established at Winona High School. Even though the Bulldogs had successfully recruited his older brother, TJ Lockhart, as an offensive lineman for their 2024 class, it wasn’t sufficient to secure the commitment of the younger sibling.
Auburn’s head coach Hugh Freeze, who previously coached at Ole Miss, is well aware of the impressive talent from the Magnolia State, which likely influenced Lockhart’s decision.
The recruitment process for Lockhart is ongoing, and MSU’s coaching staff will continue to pursue the 6’3″, 200-pound linebacker until signing day. Lockhart’s performance last season, where he recorded 100 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks, underscores his potential.
Securing Lockhart would be a significant win for State, and successfully persuading him to switch his commitment from another SEC school would send a strong message.
Cortez Thomas
Similar to Lockhart, MSU has close connections with Holmes County Central High School, which is the alma mater of Thomas. Nevertheless, the highly-rated cornerback has not made a commitment elsewhere and is scheduled to visit the campus this weekend.
The Bulldogs have recently secured commitments from several defensive back prospects, having gained four commitments last weekend. However, all of these prospects were from outside the state.
Given his physical dimensions of 6 feet and half an inch, and weighing 180 pounds, Thomas could potentially become the next, and possibly the final, addition to their secondary roster.
