Draft Scout Mississippi State Player News, College Football: Mississippi State

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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Mississippi State

Previous 15 Notes

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09/03/22 - Blake Shapen, rSr/2025, Mississippi State + More +

Blake Shapen had known since the end of spring practice that he would be the starting quarterback for 10th-ranked Baylor. He spent that time really getting to know his teammates, and they were certainly on the same page to start the season. Shapen completed 17 of 20 passes for 214 yards with two long touchdowns and had a nifty dive into the end zone for another score on the final play of the first half as the Bears beat FCS team Albany 69-10 in their season opener Saturday night. "I think tonight was just a glimpse of what you'll see in the future," Shapen said. "I think it was good for some of our guys, and especially me, to get out there and be able to touch the ground again and be able to play again." Gavin Holmes, the sixth-year Bears wideout who missed all of last season because of a foot injury, returned a punt 72 yards for a score. Monaray Baldwin had two touchdowns, on a 47-yard catch for Baylor's first score before adding a 50-yard reverse run after halftime.

The reigning Big 12 champion Bears have a six-game winning streak, matching fourth-ranked Clemson for the longest active among FBS teams. The Tigers open their season Monday night against Georgia Tech. Shapen's 1-yard TD run gave Baylor a 35-7 halftime lead. Shapen swept to the right sideline and dived toward the end zone. He switched the ball from his right to left hand and was able to reach it out to hit the pylon before falling down out of bounds. "One of the things that I appreciate about Blake is that he is very understated, and not a lot of drama with him," coach Dave Aranda said. "Probably the most drama is what's on his head with his mohawk and all that. Outside of that, you know, there's not a whole lot happening, which is very just Joe Cool with all of it." - Baylor/AP College Football

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QB Blake Shapen, Mississippi State
News Source: Baylor/AP College Football
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09/01/22 - *Emmanuel Forbes, Jr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC SECOND TEAM: DB - Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State,...Forbes returns for his junior season after starting all 13 games for the Bulldogs a season ago. The Grenada, Mississippi, native totaled 60 tackles on the season and led State with three interceptions and five pass breakups on the campaign. - Mississippi State Football

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CB *Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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09/01/22 - Tyrus Wheat, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC THIRD TEAM: LB - Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State,...Wheat started every game for Mississippi State in 2021, while totaling 46 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks last season. His performance a year ago earned him second team All-SEC accolades. - Mississippi State Football

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OLB Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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09/01/22 - Cameron Young, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC THIRD TEAM: DL - Cameron Young, Mississippi State,...Young returns in 2022 after starting all 12 games he appeared in last season for the Bulldog defense. Young registered 51 total tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, while he also tallied one interception, two hurries and a pair of pass breakups. - Mississippi State Football

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DT Cameron Young, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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09/01/22 - Jordan Davis, rSr/2024, Mississippi State + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC THIRD TEAM: DL - Jordan Davis, Mississippi State,...Davis was voted preseason All-SEC as he anticipates his return to the defensive line in 2022 after missing the entirety of last season. In 2020, Davis appeared in nine games for the Bulldogs and totaled 22 tackles in what was his first season in the Maroon and White. - Mississippi State Football

rSr/2024

DE Jordan Davis, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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09/01/22 - Jaden Walley, rSr/2025, Mississippi State + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC THIRD TEAM: WR - Jaden Walley, Mississippi State,...Walley represented the Bulldogs as the former Freshman All-American prepares to enter his junior season in Starkville. Walley appeared in 13 games last season, including 10 starts, and ranked second on the team with 628 receiving yards and six touchdown catches as a sophomore. - Mississippi State Football

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WR Jaden Walley, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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08/29/22 - Austin Williams, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 PRESEASON WUERFFEL TROPHY (COMMUNITY SERVICE) WATCHLIST: Austin Williams, Mississippi State, Sr., WR,...Williams has excelled both academically and athletically throughout his time at Mississippi State. He holds an undergraduate degree in business administration/finance, as well as a master's in business administration. Currently, Williams is working toward his third academic degree. He has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout his time in Starkville. Additionally, Williams is a five-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and a five-time selection to the MSU's President's List and Bulldog Honor Roll. The receiver is a two-time CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American. - Mississippi State Football

rSr/2023

WR Austin Williams, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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08/22/22 - Caleb Ducking, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

Caleb Ducking couldn't help but be nervous when he saw his first game action at Mississippi State. Ducking played just two snaps in the Bulldogs' 2021 season opener against Louisiana Tech, but it was enough to rattle him as he took in the crowd at Davis Wade Stadium. "Walking on the field, you see 60,000 people," Ducking said. "I had to get used to it, just apply the things I learned." Many of those things came from Makai Polk. Now with the Baltimore Ravens, Polk spent just one season in Starkville, but it was enough. Polk left his mark on Ducking and the Bulldogs' other young receivers before declaring for the NFL draft, where he went unselected before signing with the Ravens. "A lot of things I do out here, I learned from him," Ducking said. "Makai taught me a lot of things I know."

Now, it's Ducking's time to replace the man who was Mississippi State's top receiving target last season. Polk caught 105 passes for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns, providing quarterback Will Rogers with a reliable outside threat. "I miss Makai," MSU outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. said Monday. "Makai was a pretty good player. Not many people got to touch him very much. I miss his absolute skill set." Ducking hasn't had a season like Polk's 2021 campaign since high school. The hulking 6-foot-5, 200-pound receiver impressed as a senior at South Delta, totaling 16 touchdowns on just 44 catches in 2017. He racked up 1,708 receiving yards between his junior and senior years. - The Dispatch

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WR Caleb Ducking, Mississippi State
News Source: The Dispatch
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08/22/22 - Zach Haynes, rSr/2025, Mississippi State + More +

2022 PRESEASON FCS PUNTER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST: Zach Haynes, Southeast Missouri,...Last season Haynes earned First-Team All-OVC accolades for the second-straight season...Semifinalist for the Football Championship Subdivision Punter of the Year Award...Punted 66 times for 2,716 yards and dropped 24 of his kicks inside the 20-yard line...Led the OVC in punts and ranked third in punting average (41.2 ypp)...His 76-yard punt vs. Eastern Illinois (10/30) was the longest in the league and sixth-longest in the FCS...Eight of his punts sailed 50 or more yards...Had a season-high 10 punts vs. Southern Illinois (9/2) and at Murray State (11/13)...Booted a 62-yard punt at Missouri (9/18) and a 64-yard punt vs. Murray State (10/16)...Garnered OVC Specialist of the Week honors on Sept. 19 and Oct. 31...Rated 38th in the nation in punting. - Southeast Missouri Football

rSr/2025

P Zach Haynes, Mississippi State
News Source: Southeast Missouri Football
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08/17/22 - Tyrus Wheat, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

Mississippi State wasn't all that far from cracking the top 25 in the preseason Associated Press poll Monday. But for now, the Bulldogs will have to play their way in. MSU received 15 voting points in the poll, good for 10th best among teams outside the top 25. Voters appear to see the Bulldogs making a leap in their third season under coach Mike Leach. Mississippi State had several ranked wins last year but finished the regular season 7-5 before falling to Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl. The Bulldogs were 11th among teams receiving votes in last week's USA TODAY coaches poll. Six Southeastern Conference teams were ranked in the AP Top 25, beginning with No. 1 Alabama. Defending champion Georgia was third, Texas A&M was sixth, Arkansas was No. 19, Kentucky was No. 20, and Ole Miss was No. 21. - The Dispatch

rSr/2023

OLB Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State
News Source: The Dispatch
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08/17/22 - Austin Williams, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

2022 PRESEASON ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM NOMINEE: Austin Williams, Mississippi State University,...Williams has excelled both academically and athletically throughout his time at Mississippi State. He holds an undergraduate degree in business administration/finance, as well as a master's in business administration. Currently, Williams is working toward his third academic degree. He has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout his time in Starkville. Additionally, Williams is a five-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and a five-time selection to the MSU's President's List and Bulldog Honor Roll. The receiver is a two-time CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American. - Mississippi State Football

rSr/2023

WR Austin Williams, Mississippi State
News Source: Mississippi State Football
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08/14/22 - Randy Charlton, rSr/2023, Mississippi State + More +

Mississippi State football defensive end Randy Charlton is doing "well" after a helmet-to-helmet hit during a drill in Monday's practice, a source told the Clarion Ledger. The source requested anonymity because no official announcement has been made. Trainers tended to Charlton before he was carted off MSU's practice fields on a stretcher and into an ambulance. He did not return to practice Tuesday. Charlton has been sidelined as a precautionary measure by doctors and head athletic trainer Thomas Callans, the source said. Charlton is entering his second season at Mississippi State after transferring from UCF after three seasons. He started 11 of 12 games for the Bulldogs last season and recorded four sacks and 35 tackles. Charlton, whose role elevated last season after defensive end Jordan Davis went down with a season-ending knee injury in an August scrimmage, was tied for sixth on the team with five tackles for loss. - The Clarion Ledger

rSr/2023

DE Randy Charlton, Mississippi State
News Source: The Clarion Ledger
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08/10/22 - Blake Shapen, rSr/2025, Mississippi State + More +

In just his second college start last season, Blake Shapen's accuracy was on full display as he completed his first 17 passes and threw three touchdowns to earn MVP honors in Baylor's 21-16 win over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game. Shapen had previously finished off Baylor's 20-10 road win over Kansas State after Bohanon went down with a hamstring injury, and then helped the Bears complete the regular season with a 27-24 win over Texas Tech. Shapen hit 62 of 86 passes (72.1 percent) for 596 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions last season.

"I didn't have much experience under my belt," Shapen said. "So being able to play in the Kansas State game, Texas Tech and the Big 12 (championship) helped me a lot, just being able to go out there and see how it works. That was my first time being on a college football field and playing an actual game." Aranda wants to see Shapen continue to grow as a leader and develop his passing skills to a higher degree. "I want him to be himself and to not hold back, not trying to pretend to be anyone other than who he is," Aranda said. "I think it's one thing on this particular day, it's going to be another after a big win or an unfortunate loss and all that. I think Blake on the inside has got it lined up. So you want him to lead from the inside out." - Waco Tribune Herald

rSr/2025

QB Blake Shapen, Mississippi State
News Source: Waco Tribune Herald
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08/08/22 - Branden Jennings, rJr/2026, Mississippi State + More +

One key position group UCF coach gus Malzahn and his staff will focus on is linebacker. UCF added multiple transfers over the summer such as Branden Jennings (Kansas State) and Jason Johnson (Eastern Illinois). A pair of freshmen also joined: Seminole High's Kam Moore and Berkeley Prep's TJ Bullard. "These transfer linebackers, we think we got some really talented guys but we've got to find out some information in a hurry," Malzahn said. "We can't have growing pains on Saturdays." - Orlando Sentinel

rJr/2026

OLB Branden Jennings, Mississippi State
News Source: Orlando Sentinel
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08/06/22 - Blake Shapen, rSr/2025, Mississippi State + More +

Gerry Bohanon emerged as a great leader for the Bears last season, playing a pivotal role in building their 12-2 record and first Big 12 championship season since 2014. But it became apparent during spring drills that Shapen was the more accurate passer, something he proved in Baylor's 21-16 win over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game when he hit his first 17 passes while throwing three touchdowns to earn MVP honors.

Shapen also proved his toughness and leadership as he played with a shoulder injury late in the game, an injury that kept him out of Baylor's 21-7 win over Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. "Blake has shown his confidence and leadership abilities this summer since the QB1 job was named," said Baylor linebacker Dillon Doyle. "And I'm just really, really proud of the way that he has brought that confidence and tried to kind of spread that to other people and spread that to the guys around him." Entering his third season on Baylor's roster, Shapen's continued development will be important as will the progress of redshirt freshman Kyron Drones as a backup. The Baylor quarterbacks will be working with running backs and wide receivers battling for starting positions following the departures of many key veterans. - Waco Tribune Herald

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