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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Mississippi State

Previous 15 Notes

Next 15 Notes

01/01/23 - *Emmanuel Forbes, Jr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

Emmanuel Forbes' status for next season has been known. He declared for the 2023 NFL Draft on Dec. 1, meaning Mississippi State football will be without its All-America defensive back moving forward. However, his status for the ReliaQuest Bowl on Monday (11 a.m., ESPN2) against Illinois (8-4) was left uncertain. That was answered Thursday as MSU announced Forbes will take the field for MSU (8-4) one last time as the team looks to honor the death of coach Mike Leach with a bowl win.

Forbes joins key players such as defensive lineman Cameron Young and center LaQuinston Sharp in participating in the bowl despite declaring for the NFL. That comes as Illinois has had key players such as running back Chase Brown and defensive backs Devon Witherspoon and Sydney Brown opt out. Forbes intercepted six passes this season to bring his career total in three seasons to 14. Of those interceptions, six have been returned for a touchdown − an FBS record. - The Clarion Ledger

Jr/2023

CB *Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
News Source: The Clarion Ledger
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12/19/22 - Seydou Traore, Sr/2025, Mississippi State + More +

2022 ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM: TE - Seydou Traore, Arkansas State (So., TE - London, England),...Sophomore tight end Seydou Traore represented A-State on the first team after ranking first in the Sun Belt Conference among tight ends for receptions (50) and receiving yards (655), while also ranking second among the same group for touchdown receptions (4). He ranks third among FBS tight ends for receiving yards and yards per catch (13.10). He recorded a career-high 120 receiving yards and a touchdown against Memphis and was responsible for at least 50 receiving yards in six games. - Arkansas State Football

Sr/2025

TE Seydou Traore, Mississippi State
News Source: Arkansas State Football
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12/15/22 - Blake Shapen, rSr/2025, Mississippi State + More +

2022 ALL-BIG 12 FOOTBALL HONORABLE MENTION: Blake Shapen (QB),...A total of 15 Bears earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention as a product of receiving a vote in the awards process. Richard Reese, along with offensive standouts in wide receiver Monaray Baldwin, offensive linemen Micah Mazzccua and Grant Miller, wide receiver Hal Presley, quarterback Blake Shapen and tight end Ben Sims were each honored. - Baylor Football

rSr/2025

QB Blake Shapen, Mississippi State
News Source: Baylor Football
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12/14/22 - Raydarious Jones, rSr/2024, Mississippi State + More +

Mississippi State football landed a transfer commitment from LSU cornerback Ray'Darious Jones on Monday, according to Jones' Twitter page. "Raydar" had been on the Bulldogs' radar to fill a hole in the secondary. MSU is losing cornerback Emmanuel Forbes to the NFL draft in addition to the departures of all three starting safeties - Collin Duncan, Jalen Green and Jackie Matthews. Jones, a former four-star recruit from Horn Lake, was suspended for all of the 2022 season - his redshirt junior year - because of academic issues. He appeared in nine games as a redshirt sophomore in 2021 and played in three games the prior season and four in 2019. Jones took part in the 2020 game between LSU and Mississippi State in Baton Rouge. - The Dispatch

rSr/2024

CB Raydarious Jones, Mississippi State
News Source: The Dispatch
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12/10/22 - Lideatrick Griffin, Sr/2024, Mississippi State + More +

2022 WALTER CAMP SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: KR Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State,...Griffin, a junior receiver and return specialist from Philadelphia, Miss., leads the nation in yards per kick return (32.3). He closed out the 2022 regular season with 19 kick returns for 613 yards and a 92-yard touchdown return. He also hauled in 35 receptions for 449 receiving yards and four touchdown catches on the season. - Mississippi State Football

Sr/2024

WR Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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12/10/22 - *Emmanuel Forbes, Jr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 WALTER CAMP FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: DB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State,...A junior from Grenada, Miss., Forbes finished the regular season tied for the FBS lead with six interceptions, while he also broke the FBS career record for pick-sixes (6) after adding three this season alone. His 174 interception return yards in 2022 also leads the nation. - Mississippi State Football

Jr/2023

CB *Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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12/08/22 - Nathaniel Watson, rSr/2024, Mississippi State + More +

2022 ALL-SEC SECOND TEAM (COACHES): LB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State,...Watson closed out the regular season as the SEC's leading tackler with 108 total stops and an average of 9.0 tackles per game and an average of 10.75 tackles in SEC games. Of his 108 tackles, 86 came in conference games alone. Watson also tallied 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. He had two hurries on the season and a pass breakup. - Mississippi State Football

rSr/2024

ILB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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12/08/22 - Tyrus Wheat, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 ALL-SEC SECOND TEAM (COACHES): DL Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State,...Wheat, a second team All-SEC selection, started in all 12 games for the Bulldog defense. He tallied 53 total tackles, including 25 solo stops, and had 10.5 tackles for loss and a team-high six sacks on the campaign. Wheat also had eight hurries, two pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and an interception this season. - Mississippi State Football

rSr/2023

OLB Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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12/08/22 - Lideatrick Griffin, Sr/2024, Mississippi State + More +

2022 ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM (COACHES): RS Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State,...Griffin wrapped up the 2022 regular season with 19 kick returns for 613 yards and a 92-yard touchdown return. He has also hauled in 35 receptions for 449 receiving yards and four touchdown catches on the campaign. - Mississippi State Football

Sr/2024

WR Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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12/08/22 - *Emmanuel Forbes, Jr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM (COACHES): DB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State,...In 11 games played, Forbes tied for the FBS lead with six interceptions during his junior campaign, while he also broke the FBS career record for pick-sixes (6) after adding three this season alone. His 174 interception return yards in 2022 also leads the nation. - Mississippi State Football

Jr/2023

CB *Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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12/07/22 - Austin Williams, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 SEC FOOTBALL SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Austin Williams, Mississippi State,...Williams is a two-time first-team Academic All-American and has posted a 4.0 cumulative GPA during his time at Mississippi State. He is currently working on his third degree. He was previously selected as a member of the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class and is a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is college football's premier scholar-athlete award. - SEC Football

rSr/2023

WR Austin Williams, Mississippi State
News Source: SEC Football
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12/07/22 - Collin Duncan, Sr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

Mississippi State senior safety Collin Duncan declared for the 2023 NFL draft Tuesday morning, forgoing one final year of eligibility to do so. He did not specify whether he will play in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 2. "To my Bulldog family, thank you for bringing me in and treating me like family since the first day I stepped on campus," Duncan wrote in a social media post. "Being a Mississippi State Bulldog means the world to me and it forever will." Duncan recently completed his fourth regular season at MSU, recording 55 tackles - 3.5 for loss - two sacks, an interception and a team-high eight quarterback hits. Over his four-year career, Duncan has totaled 148 tackles and three interceptions. - The Dispatch

Sr/2023

SS Collin Duncan, Mississippi State
News Source: The Dispatch
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12/07/22 - Jackie Matthews, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

Mississippi State's secondary took another hit Monday. After junior cornerback Emmanuel Forbes declared for the NFL draft last week, senior safety Jackie Matthews made the same decision Monday. "I'm excited for this next chapter of my life," Matthews said in a social media post Monday evening. "It took a lot for me to get here but it was all worth it." Matthews said he will participate in the ReliaQuest Bowl, which kicks off at 11 a.m. Jan. 2 against Illinois in Tampa, Florida. The West Virginia transfer spent just one year with the Bulldogs but earned a starting spot in preseason camp. Matthews finished the season with 43 tackles - two for a loss - and two interceptions. - The Dispatch

rSr/2023

FS Jackie Matthews, Mississippi State
News Source: The Dispatch
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12/04/22 - Jett Johnson, rSr/2024, Mississippi State + More +

It has been a successful end to the season for Mississippi State football defensive coordinator Zach Arnett. It started last week when Arnett's unit held Ole Miss to a season-low 78 rushing yards en route to a 24-22 Egg Bowl win. It has extended into this week with linebacker Nathaniel Watson and defensive linemen Jaden Crumedy, Nathan Pickering and Jordan Davis announcing they're returning next season for their final years of eligibility.

Linebacker Jett Johnson joined the mix by announcing Friday his intent to return as well. He has one season left due to the extra COVID-19 season granted to athletes by the NCAA. The Tupelo native led Mississippi State in tackles (86) last season and was second behind Watson this season with 103. Johnson had seven tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries this season. Johnson joined Mississippi State in 2018 out of Tupelo High School. He redshirted his freshman season and appeared in five games over the next two years. - The Clarion Ledger

rSr/2024

ILB Jett Johnson, Mississippi State
News Source: The Clarion Ledger
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12/04/22 - *Emmanuel Forbes, Jr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

Mississippi State football defensive back Emmanuel Forbes is foregoing his senior season and has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, he announced via social media Thursday night. "Deciding to play for Mississippi State has been one of the best decisions I have ever made," Forbes wrote. "I have grown off the field just as much as I have developed on it." Forbes did not announce anything regarding his status for MSU's bowl game. Forbes' six interceptions this season are tied for the most in the nation. He returned three of those for touchdowns. Of his 14 career interceptions, six have been returned for touchdowns - an FBS record.

Forbes is a native of Grenada and attended Grenada High School, where he was a four-star prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. This marks the second straight season MSU has had a corner forego his senior season for the NFL. Last season, Martin Emerson did so and was taken in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Forbes' decision comes amidst a successful week for MSU's defense. Linebacker Nathaniel Watson and defensive linemen Jaden Crumedy, Nathan Pickering and Jordan Davis announced they'll return next season for their final seasons of eligibility. - The Clarion Ledger

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