It's the 10th consecutive year that the Bulldogs have sent multiple players to the NFL Combine.
School-Record Eight Bulldogs Receive NFL Combine Invites
February 07, 2019 | Football
by Brandon Langlois, Associate Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – A Mississippi State record eight Bulldogs have been invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, scheduled for Feb. 26 through March 4.
The NFL officially released the full list of 338 invitees on Thursday. For MSU, the selections were safety Johnathan Abram, offensive guard Deion Calhoun, quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, defensive end Gerri Green, center Elgton Jenkins, safety Mark McLaurin, cornerback Jamal Peters and defensive end Montez Sweat.
State's eight selections tied for seventh-most nationally and broke the team record of six set following the 2015 season when linebacker Beniquez Brown, cornerback Taveze Calhoun, defensive tackle Chris Jones, quarterback Dak Prescott, cornerback Will Redmond and wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson were chosen for the 2016 NFL Combine.
It's the 10th consecutive year that the Bulldogs have sent multiple players to the NFL Combine. Dating back to 1999, a total of 61 Bulldogs have been invited to the NFL Combine.
The 2019 NFL Draft is set for April 26-28, and will be held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Johnathan Abram, S, 6-0, 215, Columbia, Miss. (Jones County [Miss.] JC)
• One of the top defensive backs in college football in 2018
• Earned All-America status from five different organizations and an All-SEC second-team selection by the coaches in 2018
• Led MSU and ranked eighth in the SEC in tackles (99) in 2018
• Also had nine tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, five pass breakups, one fumble forced and one fumble recovered in 2018
• Tops in the SEC and third nationally in total pressures among safeties (16) by Pro Football Focus in 2018
• During the 2018 regular season, led SEC safeties with a 43.6 passer rating allowed according to PFF
• Graduated from MSU in December 2018
Deion Calhoun, OG, 6-3, 320, Pleasant Grove, Ala. (Restoration Academy)
• Played in 48 games, finished with 36 starts and allowed only three sacks across 1,200 snaps in pass protection
• An All-SEC second-team selection by the coaches in 2018
• Helped MSU rank second in the SEC in both rushing yards per game (223.6) and yards per rush (5.7) in 2018
• Paved the way for an SEC-best four games with 300 or more rushing yards in 2018
• Allowed only two sacks over 356 pass-blocking snaps as a senior according to PFF
• SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance on Senior Day against Arkansas on Nov. 17
• Graduated from MSU in December 2018
Nick Fitzgerald, QB, 6-5, 230, Richmond Hill, Ga. (Richmond Hill HS)
• Owns 13 school records – four career, four single-season and five single-game
• Finished his collegiate career as only the second MSU quarterback with 9,000+ career total offense yards (9,814), joining Dak Prescott (11,897)
• Set the SEC record for career rushing yards by a quarterback (3,607)
• Of his 101 career touchdowns, an MSU record 46 came on the ground which also tied for fourth in SEC history with LSU's Kevin Faulk (1995-98)
• Closed out his MSU tenure with 21 individual 100-yard rushing games, the most in school history and the most by a quarterback in SEC history
• A four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, who received his undergraduate degree in December 2017
Gerri Green, DE, 6-4, 255, Greenville, Miss. (Greenville Weston HS)
• Extremely athletic and physical edge rusher whose leadership played a pivotal role in MSU's success during his five years with the program
• Played in the Reese's Senior Bowl last month
• Totaled 161 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks during his career
• Closed his career with 52 games played and 27 starts to his credit
• Served as a team captain this season and finished with 31 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks
• State's leader in community service during his career
• Graduated from MSU in December 2018
Elgton Jenkins, C, 6-4, 310, Clarksdale, Miss. (Clarksdale HS)
• No. 1 center prospect for the 2019 NFL Draft, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.
• Played in the Reese's Senior Bowl last month
• Played in 49 career games with 34 starts – 26 at center, five at left tackle, two at left guard and one at right tackle
• Allowed only one sack in 762 pass-blocking snaps at center during his junior and senior seasons, per PFF
• Kent Hull Trophy winner this season, which is awarded annually to the top offensive lineman in the state of Mississippi
• Earned first-team All-America honors from The Athletic and fourth-team honors from Phil Steele
• Graduated from MSU in December 2018
Mark McLaurin, S, 6-2, 215, Collins, Miss. (Collins HS)
• Teamed with Abram to form one of the top safety duos in the country
• Racked up 224 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 51 games played
• Also collected eight interceptions and 26 passes defensed during his career
• As a senior, started 12 of 13 games and recorded 74 tackles, 4.5 for loss and four pass breakups
• In 2017, led the team with 79 tackles and topped the SEC with six interceptions (which tied for fourth nationally)
• MVP of the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl with 11 tackles and three interceptions
Jamal Peters, CB, 6-2, 220, Bassfield, Miss. (Bassfield HS)
• Lengthy, athletic playmaker who played in 46 games with 16 starts
• Collected 99 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and 10 pass breakups
• Forced five turnovers during his career – three interceptions and two forced fumbles
• Closed out his senior season with 33 tackles, one tackle for loss and a career-high four pass breakups
• Recorded 18 tackles over his last four games in 2018
• Considered a top-10 cornerback in this year's draft class by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Montez Sweat, DE, 6-6, 245, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Copiah-Lincoln [Miss.] CC)
• One of the most feared edge rushers in America who made his presence known in the backfield
• The top prospect at the Reese's Senior Bowl last month
• Projected as high as No. 4 overall in the upcoming NFL Draft
• A first-team All-American this season who closed his MSU career with 22 sacks in 26 career games
• A 2018 Bednarik Award semifinalist and five-time SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week during his career
• Finished his senior year second in the SEC and tied for sixth nationally in sacks (11.5)
• Led the league in sacks (10.5) as a junior
• His 22 career sacks rank fifth on the Bulldogs' career list, while his 29.5 tackles for loss are good for eighth
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB."
STARKVILLE – A Mississippi State record eight Bulldogs have been invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, scheduled for Feb. 26 through March 4.
The NFL officially released the full list of 338 invitees on Thursday. For MSU, the selections were safety Johnathan Abram, offensive guard Deion Calhoun, quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, defensive end Gerri Green, center Elgton Jenkins, safety Mark McLaurin, cornerback Jamal Peters and defensive end Montez Sweat.
State's eight selections tied for seventh-most nationally and broke the team record of six set following the 2015 season when linebacker Beniquez Brown, cornerback Taveze Calhoun, defensive tackle Chris Jones, quarterback Dak Prescott, cornerback Will Redmond and wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson were chosen for the 2016 NFL Combine.
It's the 10th consecutive year that the Bulldogs have sent multiple players to the NFL Combine. Dating back to 1999, a total of 61 Bulldogs have been invited to the NFL Combine.
The 2019 NFL Draft is set for April 26-28, and will be held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Johnathan Abram, S, 6-0, 215, Columbia, Miss. (Jones County [Miss.] JC)
• One of the top defensive backs in college football in 2018
• Earned All-America status from five different organizations and an All-SEC second-team selection by the coaches in 2018
• Led MSU and ranked eighth in the SEC in tackles (99) in 2018
• Also had nine tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, five pass breakups, one fumble forced and one fumble recovered in 2018
• Tops in the SEC and third nationally in total pressures among safeties (16) by Pro Football Focus in 2018
• During the 2018 regular season, led SEC safeties with a 43.6 passer rating allowed according to PFF
• Graduated from MSU in December 2018
Deion Calhoun, OG, 6-3, 320, Pleasant Grove, Ala. (Restoration Academy)
• Played in 48 games, finished with 36 starts and allowed only three sacks across 1,200 snaps in pass protection
• An All-SEC second-team selection by the coaches in 2018
• Helped MSU rank second in the SEC in both rushing yards per game (223.6) and yards per rush (5.7) in 2018
• Paved the way for an SEC-best four games with 300 or more rushing yards in 2018
• Allowed only two sacks over 356 pass-blocking snaps as a senior according to PFF
• SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance on Senior Day against Arkansas on Nov. 17
• Graduated from MSU in December 2018
Nick Fitzgerald, QB, 6-5, 230, Richmond Hill, Ga. (Richmond Hill HS)
• Owns 13 school records – four career, four single-season and five single-game
• Finished his collegiate career as only the second MSU quarterback with 9,000+ career total offense yards (9,814), joining Dak Prescott (11,897)
• Set the SEC record for career rushing yards by a quarterback (3,607)
• Of his 101 career touchdowns, an MSU record 46 came on the ground which also tied for fourth in SEC history with LSU's Kevin Faulk (1995-98)
• Closed out his MSU tenure with 21 individual 100-yard rushing games, the most in school history and the most by a quarterback in SEC history
• A four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, who received his undergraduate degree in December 2017
Gerri Green, DE, 6-4, 255, Greenville, Miss. (Greenville Weston HS)
• Extremely athletic and physical edge rusher whose leadership played a pivotal role in MSU's success during his five years with the program
• Played in the Reese's Senior Bowl last month
• Totaled 161 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks during his career
• Closed his career with 52 games played and 27 starts to his credit
• Served as a team captain this season and finished with 31 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks
• State's leader in community service during his career
• Graduated from MSU in December 2018
Elgton Jenkins, C, 6-4, 310, Clarksdale, Miss. (Clarksdale HS)
• No. 1 center prospect for the 2019 NFL Draft, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.
• Played in the Reese's Senior Bowl last month
• Played in 49 career games with 34 starts – 26 at center, five at left tackle, two at left guard and one at right tackle
• Allowed only one sack in 762 pass-blocking snaps at center during his junior and senior seasons, per PFF
• Kent Hull Trophy winner this season, which is awarded annually to the top offensive lineman in the state of Mississippi
• Earned first-team All-America honors from The Athletic and fourth-team honors from Phil Steele
• Graduated from MSU in December 2018
Mark McLaurin, S, 6-2, 215, Collins, Miss. (Collins HS)
• Teamed with Abram to form one of the top safety duos in the country
• Racked up 224 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 51 games played
• Also collected eight interceptions and 26 passes defensed during his career
• As a senior, started 12 of 13 games and recorded 74 tackles, 4.5 for loss and four pass breakups
• In 2017, led the team with 79 tackles and topped the SEC with six interceptions (which tied for fourth nationally)
• MVP of the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl with 11 tackles and three interceptions
Jamal Peters, CB, 6-2, 220, Bassfield, Miss. (Bassfield HS)
• Lengthy, athletic playmaker who played in 46 games with 16 starts
• Collected 99 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and 10 pass breakups
• Forced five turnovers during his career – three interceptions and two forced fumbles
• Closed out his senior season with 33 tackles, one tackle for loss and a career-high four pass breakups
• Recorded 18 tackles over his last four games in 2018
• Considered a top-10 cornerback in this year's draft class by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Montez Sweat, DE, 6-6, 245, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Copiah-Lincoln [Miss.] CC)
• One of the most feared edge rushers in America who made his presence known in the backfield
• The top prospect at the Reese's Senior Bowl last month
• Projected as high as No. 4 overall in the upcoming NFL Draft
• A first-team All-American this season who closed his MSU career with 22 sacks in 26 career games
• A 2018 Bednarik Award semifinalist and five-time SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week during his career
• Finished his senior year second in the SEC and tied for sixth nationally in sacks (11.5)
• Led the league in sacks (10.5) as a junior
• His 22 career sacks rank fifth on the Bulldogs' career list, while his 29.5 tackles for loss are good for eighth
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB."
Players Mentioned
S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
OL
/ Football
S
/ Football
CB
/ Football
DE
/ FootballFOOTBALL | 2026 Spring Practice Media Session - Jeff Lebby
Thursday, April 16
FOOTBALL | 2026 Spring Practice Media Session - Kamario Taylor
Saturday, April 11
FOOTBALL | 2026 Spring Practice Media Session - Kelley Jones
Saturday, April 11
FOOTBALL | 2026 Spring Practice Media Session - Jeff Lebby
Saturday, April 11