Random 2002 recruiting class question

[AHSDawg]

Was Will Prosser the most productive signee from that class (after Norwood)? How sad is it that this question is actually valid? Dockery was good and ended up on NFL rosters but he wasn't great at MSU. Good player, not saying he wasn't. Just think he developed in the NFL with coaching... This should help you to put of fears of lack of star power... This was a helluva talented class on paper... Wish we could have kept some on campus.

QB	95	<nobr> </nobr>	Brett Morgan (Warren Central HS) Vicksburg, MS		<nobr> 6-0/190/4.60 </nobr>			Mississippi State
QB	54	<nobr> </nobr>	Aries Nelson (East Side HS) Cleveland, MS		<nobr> 6-3/195/4.50 </nobr>			Mississippi State
QB	62	<nobr> </nobr>	Ken Topps (Shannon HS) Shannon, MS		<nobr> 6-0/160/4.55 </nobr>			Mississippi State
RB	26	<nobr> </nobr>	Jerious Norwood (Brandon HS) Brandon, MS		<nobr> 6-1/197/4.45 </nobr>			Mississippi State
WR	116	<nobr> </nobr>	Tee Milons (Starkville HS) Starkville, MS		<nobr> 5-10/165 </nobr>			Mississippi State
WR	93	<nobr> </nobr>	Will Prosser (Starkville Academy) Starkville, MS		<nobr> 6-4/205/4.55 </nobr>			Mississippi State
OL	47	<nobr> </nobr>	Richard Burch (Brandon HS) Brandon, MS		<nobr> 6-6/290/5.30 </nobr>			Mississippi State
OL	NR	<nobr> </nobr>	Monte Collins (Provine HS) Jackson, MS		<nobr> 6-7/350 </nobr>			Mississippi State
OL	JC	<nobr> </nobr>	Manuel Dickson (Georgia Military) Milledgeville, GA		<nobr> 6-4/290/5.20 </nobr>			Mississippi State
DT	NR	<nobr> </nobr>	Otis Riddley (Provine HS) Jackson, MS		<nobr> 6-3/305/5.10 </nobr>			Mississippi State
DE	20	<nobr> </nobr>	Markell McKinley (Weir Attendance Center) Weir, MS		<nobr> 6-3/270/4.80 </nobr>			Mississippi State
LB	51	<nobr> </nobr>	Kenny Kern (Clarksdale HS) Clarksdale, MS		<nobr> 6-1/225/4.70 </nobr>			Mississippi State
DE	8	<nobr> </nobr>	Deljuan Robinson (Hernando HS) Hernando, MS		<nobr> 6-4/290/4.80 </nobr>	11/21/2002		Mississippi State
K	NR	<nobr> </nobr>	Scott Shurden (Neshoba Central HS) Philadelphia, MS		<nobr> 5-8/175/4.80 </nobr>	11/21/2002		Mississippi State
LB	JC	<nobr>NR</nobr>	J.J. Grant (Hinds) Raymond, MS		<nobr> -/- </nobr>	03/15/2002		Mississippi State
CB	10	<nobr> </nobr>	Nicholas Turner (Washington HS) Atlanta, GA		<nobr> 5-10/185/4.40 </nobr>	02/06/2002		Mississippi State
S	3	<nobr> </nobr>	Darren Williams (Clarksdale HS) Clarksdale, MS		<nobr> 6-4/200/4.40 </nobr>	02/03/2002		Mississippi State
LB	7	<nobr> </nobr>	Marvin Byrdsong (Longview HS) Longview, TX		<nobr> 6-3/235/4.50 </nobr>	02/01/2002		Mississippi State
CB	39	<nobr> </nobr>	Brandon Wright (East HS) Memphis, TN		<nobr> 5-9/160/4.29 </nobr>	01/27/2002		Mississippi State
RB	NR	<nobr>NR</nobr>	Bryson Davis (Plainview HS) Plainview, TX		<nobr> 6-3/260/4.70 </nobr>	01/24/2002		Mississippi State
QB	NR	<nobr>NR</nobr>	Justin Tyler (Jones County HS) Gray, GA		<nobr> 6-3/210/4.80 </nobr>	01/13/2002		Mississippi State
CB	NR	<nobr>NR</nobr>	Kevin Dockery (Hernando HS) Hernando, MS		<nobr> 5-9/178/4.50 </nobr>	01/13/2002		Mississippi State
K	NR	<nobr> </nobr>	Keith Andrews (Ouachita Parish HS) Monroe, LA		<nobr> 6-0/175/4.80 </nobr>	12/01/2001		Mississippi State

<tbody>
</tbody>

 

[PBRME]

Dockery and Deljuan both had better careers at MSU.

 

[SignalToNoise]

I would argue Deljuan Robinson after J Rock.

 

[NCDawg.sixpack]

Think we signed J J Grant about 3 times-never did play for us.

 

[AHSDawg]

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I guess my point was the fact that its at least a discussion... With all of those stars, Prosser is arguably #3 or #4... It makes me sad in pants.

 

[Curby]

Sad to see Nick Turner and Darren Williams listed there together. No longer with us. RIP

 

[dawgatUSM]

Dockery was a 4 year starter. He wasn't chopped liver.

 

[thatsbaseball]

Richard Burch had as much talent as anybody in the class and absolutely had NFL potential.....sad

 

[AHSDawg]

Never insinuated that he was. Was meaning moreso did you see him as an

NFL starter while he was playing at MSU. That's all I was trying to say. He was a very good player for us. But, so was Prosser when it comes down to it. That is all I was pointing out.

 

[kired]

I believe it was Ken Topps who competed in one of those "throw the ball through the hole" compitions a few years later... and he completely dominated. I remember thinking he would have been better than our QB at the time - who would have been Henig or Conner. Ironic because he also played against us one year with Murray St. I guess he was a student at MSU after he finished at Murray St.

Aries Nelson looked pretty good for the Tupelo Mudcats a few years ago.

 

[HD6]

4 quarterbacks signed in one class. Ridiculous.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

And what's the career cumulative stats for the four? Less than Dak's 2013 Egg Bowl?

 

[kired]

Why is Willie Evans not on that list? He was part of that class and shows up on Rivals.

A 2-star FB on Rivals, NR by scout, that ends up being one of the best DEs we've ever had. As a senior he was the third leading tackler on the team, had 21 TFL and 15 sacks in 11 games. That is absolutely insane.

 

[HD6]

Tyler and Topps never played a down for us, I'm pretty sure.

 

[bonedaddy401]

This is so true. Burch had NFL written all over him but loved eating and partying to damn much. Helluva nice guy too. Hate trouble found him.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

I am not sure any of them did.

 

[HD6]

I know Brett Morgan took a knee at the end of the 2005 Egg Bowl.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

And two kickers that were 4 and 5 stars. People always talk about how great that class was but when you go back and look at it it sucks. It's on par or worse than some on Nutts classes. There aren't such things as 4 and 5 start kickers anymore that propell your classes. Norwood, Dockery and Robinson and the only 3 SEC players out of that class. 3 people in one class is ridiculous.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

You're right.

Willie may have loved being FB at Wayne County but he made a much bigger impact on defense for the '01 War Eagles. The following year, Wayne County beats South Panola for the 5A title.

 

[johnson86-1]

NFL starter while he was playing at MSU. That's all I was trying to say. He was a very good player for us. But, so was Prosser when it comes down to it. That is all I was pointing out.

Dockery was frustrating as hell at MSU. Maybe he was a little bit like Clausell where the strong impression he made when he had to play before he was ready kept people from seeing the improvement he made later on. I never remember Dockery being good at State but I find it hard to believe he wasn't at least solid as a Jr and Sr considering he had a good NFL career. Just like a lot of people think Clausell is bad even though he holds his own against the best talent in college football.

And am I wrong in thinking Darren Williams had a solid career? I know he never lived up to expectations, but I thought he basically played four years. While a lot of people played for those teams that had no business in the SEC, I don't remember Williams being one of them. I thought he was just an average player who didn't live up to expectations.

I don't think it's an argument that Prosser was the most productive recruit after Norwood. Prosser played because we didn't have anything better, but while I remember him doing better than I expected early on, I remember him fumbling a lot and being an example of the lack of SEC talent we had. But since this was the Crooms era I was obviously drinking heavily anytime I watched MSU football, so maybe he was better than I remember.

 

[AHSDawg]

I agree with Dockery. I think he was played in wrong position/scheme which kept him in the shadows. THAT was the point I was trying to make. Not meaning to slight him. I agree with your perception.

On Dapoo, I think he had a very good career until he was kicked off. I have no idea the true situation of why he was kicked off. However, I always thought he was a situation that should have been an attempt at reformation versus the 'you are trouble, hit the road' school of Croom. I always felt (and was proven later to be true) that Croom had zero tolerance for JWS players and had tons for his...

 

[paco.sixpack]

Two of those signees are no longer living.

 

[AHSDawg]

not only that... they both died in ATL... Or seemingly did... Nick Turner has

never been found.... literally and not kidding. They only found 20 shell casings, a gun and a drop of blood at the spot where his friend says he was lit up.

Sad. Incredibly sad...