Bulldog Corners Continue To Battle
August 25, 2023 | Football
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State has had quite a successful run of sending cornerbacks to the next level in recent years with Cameron Dantzler, Martin Emerson and Emmanuel Forbes all making their way #FromStateToSundays since the 2020 NFL Draft.
This year, the cornerback room for the Bulldogs is balanced by a mixture of experienced veterans, top-level transfers and a talented crop of freshmen. Those combinations have led to a competitive preseason camp with several corners battling for playing time on every single rep.
"We're just a bunch of guys buying in and trying to get better every day," said senior DeCarlos Nicholson. "We're all trying to find one thing to get better at every day. It's a battle for real. Everybody comes to work and that makes everybody better. It's truly a battle."
With Forbes being selected 16th overall by the Washington Commanders in the NFL Draft back in April, MSU will lean on a pair of elder statesmen in the cornerbacks' room to pick up the slack and provide leadership.
Senior Decamerion Richardson has started the past 14 games opposite Forbes and finished third on the team with 85 tackles and three pass breakups last fall. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder's tackle total from a year ago led all cornerbacks in the Southeastern Conference in that category.
Graduate Esaias Furdge is also back for the Bulldogs. The Clarksdale native brings 28 games and six starts worth of experience into his final season. One of Furdge's top performances came as a sophomore in 2020 when he recorded six tackles and an interception in his first career start in a season-opening win at defending national champion LSU.
"They bring experience," cornerbacks coach Darcel McBath said of Nicholson and Furdge. "They've been in games, made critical plays and helped win us games. They know what it feels like to play big time games and having to step up. They understand how to gameplan and what the season brings from Week 1 to Week 12 and how to take care of their body. It's good to have guys back that can show the younger guys and lead them."
Nicholson is another upperclassman battling at the top of the depth chart but is still relatively new to the position after transferring in from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College last year. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder began his career as a quarterback but switched to the secondary as a sophomore and played primarily on special teams during his first season at State in 2022.
"He's got a ton of upside," McBath said. "He's a big, long kid who loves the game and works at it. He's only gotten better every day. I'm looking for big things from him as he takes that next step and has some growth."
The Bulldogs also raided the transfer portal to bring a pair of Power 5 transfers originally from the Magnolia State back home. Ray'Darious Jones joins Mississippi State after spending the past four years at LSU. The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder from Horn Lake logged 16 career games for the Tigers.
Khamauri Rogers comes to Starkville after appearing in one game as a true freshman at Miami last season. The 6-foot, 180-pounder is a former four-star prospect and Under Armor All-American at Holmes County Central High School.
"When you bring in talented guys, it ups the level of competition in your room which raises the level of play," McBath said. "That's what we wanted them to do, and they've done that. I can't wait to see those guys because they've had really good camps and seen really good things out of them. I can't wait to see what they put on tape in the fall."
Additionally, State signed a trio of talented freshmen that are competing for reps at corner. Luke Evans got a jump start on his college career by graduating high school early and enrolled in January to go through spring drills with the Bulldogs.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder helped lead Chaminade Madonna College Prep to a state championship in Florida as a senior in addition as starring in baseball and track during his prep career.
Brice Pollock is a four-star signee that has caught the attention of several coaches during preseason camp and totaled 119 tackles, six interceptions and 23 PBU's during his final two seasons at Shiloh (Ga.) High School.
Evans and Pollock also share a pedigree of being second generation Division I football players. Evans' father, Percy, was a four-year starter on the defensive line and captain at Cincinnati while Pollock's dad, Brandon, starred in Duke's secondary.
Kelley Jones continues the pipeline from Clarksdale to Starkville and starred on both sides of the ball at quarterback and defensive back for the Wildcats. The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder accounted for 1,982 yards of offense and 30 touchdowns as a senior while tallying 67 tackles and six pass deflections on defense.
"I'm fired up about those younger guys," McBath said. "You've got Kelley Jones, Brice Pollock and Luke Evans, three really good kids that are going to be darn good football players for us. They're big, fast and physical and that's what we look for. They're smart, they love the game and they're soaking it up every day. You can just see their progression.
"The thing I like about them the most is that even when they're wrong, they don't back down. They get up there and challenge receivers. They might not be doing it the right way, but they have that spirit that you want to coach."
Also providing depth at corner is Nicholas Bargains, who is in his second season with Mississippi State after redshirting last fall.
