Honest question, based on ESPN rankings...

[Homer J Simpson IV]

Is it better to crow about in-state recruiting, or overall?

I.E., is it better to have a team full of Mississippians, especially for a Mississippi school, or to have a class based predominantly out of Florida, Alabama and Texas?

I've seen different schools of thought. Having been on both the winning and losing end, in-state the last few years - particularly remembering the academic struggles of many a Mississippian, I'd have to say I'm leaning toward getting what we can from the more fertile recuiting grounds I have mentioned.

For example, and don't get me wrong, Thames and Bumphis are two very, very good prospects. But at the same time, is it better to nab them as, say, Patterson, a Mississippian and James Logan out of Florida? Is it better to nab defensive ends from Ohio, Illinois and Alabama, like Craig Drummond, Mike Thomas and Cameron Whigham? Or are products from Yazoo City (Fletcher Cox), Fulton (Pernell McPhee) and Starkville (Johnathan McKenzie) preferable.

Which is better? Players from your backyard with a lower population, or players from D-1A rich states such as Texas and Florida?

Not trying to make a dig, got no clue which set of prospects are better. Haven't even checked into stars and rankings.

But which are more likely to pan out?

 

[JohnnyYuma.nafoom]

let you know when it is shipped......in two or three years.

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

The ultimate goal (like hitting 18 hole-in-ones in golf) is to sign the top 25 picks in the NFL draft 4 years from now. State's recruiting classes from 1999-2003 were top 20, according to recruiting gurus, but they didn't pan out, much like OM's recruiting classes over the years were more geared to giving Rebel-fan a Happy Ending than it was to help the football team.

However, I think it's more important to sign the top players in-State because that's what we did this year

 

[rdnkkicker]

...does have the highest percentage of high school players who wind up in the professional football ranks...that being said, i don't care where they come from as long as the can contribute to making MSU a more competitive team. If we can do it with in state recruits for the time being eventually our recruiting base will spread to other areas.such as FL and TX

 

[Rebheaded Stranger]

Would it have made him play harder in the Egg Bowl? Would CJ Sirmones been even more wide open at the 15 if he'd been from Atalla County? I know Jackie makes the argument that having in-state kids helps you in your rivalry game, but I'm pretty sure that the majority of our starters last year were from places other than MS and it didn't seem to hurt us all that badly.

 

[RebelBruiser]

That's always been my point. A good player is a good player whether he's from Mississippi or Alaska. So when it comes to compiling talent, I really don't care where they are from.

However, I did have a friend the other day make a good point about one of the benefits of in-state recruiting. He said that when you sign a big player from a certain county or high school, you will often pick up all the walk on fans from that county who are now pulling for their local guy at your school. So, it may actually give you a few more season ticket sales to have in-state guys. And you also may create a few fans that stick with your program after their player has graduated.

It's a lot like Ole Miss fans pulling for the Giants because of Eli or the Saints because of Deuce, or MSU fans pulling for the Falcons because of Jerious. So, that's one benefit you can get from pulling in-state kids, because those new fans are more likely to be able to buy tickets and come to your games. However, I do agree that as far as pure talent and effort, it doesn't make a difference where a player is from. He's that same player no matter where he's from. Raymond Cotton would be a good example. He has family from Mississippi, and if his dad was in another line of work, he'd probably be from Kosciusko or somewhere like that, but instead he's from Maryland. He's the same player though either way.

 

[hdghdawg]

We stockpile talent, bitches. They just aren't D1.

 

[Rebheaded Stranger]

Seriously?

 

[gptdawg]

Since MSU dominated in-state recruitring (at least it appears so)- OM is now touting going out of state. Imagine that. Not a dig by the way.

 

[TR.sixpack]

your pitiful in-state recruiting effort.

I think it's easier to build and maintain relationships with coaches and players in-state, than having to hop around all over the country. If y'all want to cede the state to MSU, I'm sure Mullen will happily take it. But somehow, I doubt Nutt is that stupid and this year is a byproduct of Mullen piggy-packing on what Croom had already built in-state.