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Mississippi State

100 Day Bulldog Countdown: 9 Days - No. 9, SAF Tony Mitchell and WR Ricky Johnson

3rupauk8_400x400by: Robbie Faulk08/21/25RobbieFaulkOn3
ricky johnson
Photo by Jared Thomas, Maroon and White Daily

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 at two exciting players on each side of the ball.  

9 Days: No. 9, Jr. Safety Tony Mitchell       

The Bulldogs got an impact player in its recruiting class this year as former Alabama defensive back Mitchell got back in the SEC after a year at East Mississippi Community College.

The Alabama native got to accomplish a lifelong dream of playing for the Crimson Tide. Mitchell played at Thompson High School and had offers from around the country with the instate schools, Texas A&M and Georgia leading the charge for his signature.

After leading Thompson to three state championships, he finished as the No. 12 player in the state of Alabama and the No. 116 player nationally by the Rivals Industry Rankings.

In his first season with the Tide, Mitchell hit the field in seven games and had a chance to contribute on special teams. More was expected out of Mitchell in his sophomore season, but he would leave Alabama and hit the transfer portal.

Instead of transferring to a four-year program, Mitchell would land in Scooba at EMCC and would draw the interest of the SEC right away. State, Ole Miss and Auburn jumped out as the early favorites with the Bulldogs being especially prevalent in his recruitment thanks, in large part, to Defensive Coordinator Coleman Hutzler who was previously coaching at Alabama during Mitchell’s time there.

Mitchell came in as the No. 3 junior college player in the country and the No. 1 safety. He enters with high expectations as he will play a prominent role in the secondary at safety. His versatility allows him to play at the Sam and at Nickel.

No. 9, RFr. Wide Receiver Ricky Johnson   

Expectations are climbing for Johnson as he hits season two in the wide receiver room.

The Georgia native was a big pickup late in the process when Chad Bumphis flipped him from his commitment at Stanford. The Bulldogs had been recruiting Johnson behind the scenes for several months and he came in on an official visit just before signing day. He would then make the decision to change up that commitment and stay closer to home in the SEC.

Johnson was a standout at Houston County High School where he racked up 118 career receptions and was third in school history with 2,523 yards while hauling in 27 touchdowns. His senior year was a special one as Johnson would catch 65 passes for 1,213 yards and 16 touchdowns; finishing second in school history for single-season receiving.

Along with Stanford on the offer sheet, Johnson picked up offers from Auburn, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, UCF, Penn State, Iowa State, Indiana and others. He was ranked a three-star and the No. 152nd wide receiver nationally.

Despite the ranking, Johnson has been turning heads early. He played in four games last season and maintained his redshirt as he had a couple of catches to get his feet wet. In the spring and into training camp, Johnson has continued to impress and should be pushing for much more reps this season.

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