100 Day Bulldog Countdown: 38 Days - Former No. 38 Johnathan Abram

Year two of the Jeff Lebby era has arrived and the Mississippi State coach is back to work.

After a disappointing first season, the coach and his staff are doing what they can to get things back on track in Starkville. The players on the field will be the difference for State this season if they are to make a return and we’re going to discuss every single one of them over the course of the next few months.

As we do every year, we’re counting down 100 days until State’s first game at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on August 30. Over this period of time, we’ll breakdown every scholarship player on the roster, look back at great moments in MSU history and even talk about legends that have come before the current Bulldogs.

Today, we look back at a headhunter in the secondary for the Bulldogs.

38 Days: Former No. 38, S Johnathan Abram

While State initially missed the boat on Abram, the Mississippi native found his way home.

Abram was on the Bulldogs’ radar when he was coming up out of East Marion, but he would end up a member of another Bulldog team. MSU filled up at its safety position after initially recruiting Abram and then he would see interest really grow with offers from Louisville, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Georgia and others. In the middle of his senior season, he would commit to Georgia.

The Defensive Player of the Year in his classification, Abram was a noticeably hard-hitting defender. As a junior he made 88 tackles and brought in five interceptions all while playing quarterback for his high school team. He passed for 1,700-plus yards and rushed for another 1,300 while scoring 40 touchdowns.

As a freshman, the talented athlete immediately hit the field for UGA. Abram would end up starting in four games and made 25 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss. After just one year, however, he felt an urge to come home.

Abram would transfer to Jones College for his sophomore season and made 23 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss while also getting back in action at QB with Jones suffering injuries at that position. His second recruitment had him more hotly pursued than his high school days as Abram emerged as the No. 2 JUCO safety in the country and a four-star recruit.

Tennessee, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU all offered this time around and Georgia even came back after the talented Abram. This time, State would also become a major player.

The Bulldogs of State didn’t make the mistake of not treating him as a priority this time around as Dan Mullen sent the full court press on Abram. He started visiting Starkville in the summer and State got into the mix. As signing day loomed, Ole Miss, LSU and Alabama were all in heavy pursuit but Mullen would win a monster battle and get his signature.

That signature proved to be crucial for a defense that was trying to get back among the SEC’s best. After a disastrous defensive season under coordinator Peter Sirmon, Mullen hired Todd Grantham for the 2017 season and brought in instant impact contributors from junior college like Montez Sweat and Abram to go along with returning players on the defense.

State made a big jump in 2017 with all of those factors in line and Abram would grab 71 tackles with 5.0 TFL, five pass deflections, 2.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. Abram would spearhead one of the best defenses in the country in 2018 under new head coach Joe Moorhead and defensive coordinator Bob Shoop as he racked up 90 tackles, 9.0 TFL, six pass deflections, 3.0 sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

Abram’s lack of concern for his personal well-being was the biggest part of his game as he flew into plays like a heat-seeking missile. He was playmaking in both the pass and run game and rose to become one of the top safeties in the country as he ended a First-Team All-SEC player as well as a Second-Team All-American.

What followed would be a first round draft pick in the 2019 draft as he was one of three Bulldog defensive players selected in the first round with Sweat and Jeffery Simmons. The Oakland Raiders would be the team to take him at the 27^th pick and he would begin his career there.

Within the first game of playing, that signature style of play from Abram would lead to an injury. He made five tackles and a pass deflection before he tore a rotator cuff. He came back in year two for the 2020 season and had back-t-back strong years with the now Las Vegas Raiders starting in 27 games and collecting over 200 tackles and three interceptions.

After four seasons with the Raiders, Abram would spend his last three years on the move. He played for Green Bay, Seattle and New Orleans before calling it a career in 2024. Abram’s style of play likely had a lot to do with his abbreviated career, but he always played the game on his terms and he, literally, left a mark.