Alabama-Mississippi: What to watch for

Published Dec 11, 2015

Rob Cassidy

Recruiting Analyst

HATTIESBURG,Miss.-TheAlabama-MississippiAll-StarGamesettotakeplaceonSaturdayisbasedonasimpleconcept.Sure,it'sstateversusstate,butcollegefootballfansfromallovercanfinddeeperstorylinesalloverthefield.Belowisalistofthemostimportantthingforeachcollegeprogramwithprospectsparticipatinginthegame.

AlabamaClickHeretoviewthisLink.

RaekwonDavis

TidefanshaveplentyofreasontokeeponeyeonSaturday'sgame,butnonebigger(literally)thanRaekwonDavis.Themassive,6-foot-7Davishasbeenasimpressiveasanyplayerattheeventduringpracticesandhasthelookandfeelofaplayerthatcouldjumpuptherankingsshouldheperforminthegame.Alabamahasotherprospectsonbothteams,butit'sDavisthathastheattentionofeveryoneinHattiesburg.

AuburnClickHeretoviewthisLink.

MarlonDavidson

Auburnhasapairofcommitmentsinthegame.Five-starMarlonDavidsonis"surething"ofthetwo.TigerfansshouldbemoreinterestedinseeingcornerbackJohnBroussard,whoserankingrecentlydroppedtothree-stars.Broussardhadahit-and-missseniorseasonandhasplentytoproveontheAll-Starstage.OnSaturday,he'llbeaskedtocoveranumberofFBS-boundwidereceivers.Itwillbeinterestingtoseehowhedoes.

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JordanDuncan

WidereceiverJordanDuncanhasbeenoneofthemorepleasantsurprisesoftheweekthusfar.He'sabitundersized,sure,buthe'smadenearlyeveryplayhe'sbeenaskedtomakeinpracticeandshowsoffthekindofaccelerationthatwillbehooveaslotwidereceiverinthePac-12.ItseemsasthoughDaviscouldbeinforabiggameonSaturday.

FloridaClickHeretoviewthisLink.

FloridacommitJeremiahMoon

It'sbeenagoodweekofpracticeforFloridacommits,butit'shardtogetareadonrunningbacksduringlimited-contactworkouts.That'swhySaturdaywillbeabigdayforGators'runningbackLamicalPerine.PerinehasaddedsizeandlooksthepartofanSEC-readytailback.Howhedoeswhenthecompetitionlevelishighandtherepsarefull-speedwillbeinteresting,though.Perinerecentlyreceivedabumpinrankingandhe'lllooktoproveitwasdeservedonSaturday.

MemphisClickHeretoviewthisLink.

KeonHoward

DefensivebackcommitTyrezLindseyhasbeensolidandsteadyallweek,makingthemoreinterestingMemphisprospectquarterbackKeonHoward.Howardhasstruggledwithaccuracyatpracticeforthemajorityoftheweek.Itwillbeinterestingtoseehowhelooksoncehe'sabletousethequarterbackrungame,hisstrength,asaweapon.

MississippiStateClickHeretoviewthisLink.

A.J.BrownisnotcommittedtoMississippiStatebutisconsideredaheavyBulldogslean.He'sbeenfantasticinpracticesthisweekandwillprovidesomeexcitementforMississippiStatefansthisweek.OntheothersideofthespectrumiswidereceiverNeroNelson,whohasbeenabitofasurpriseinpractice.He'llbeonetowatchwhenthingsgofullspeedaswell.

OleMissClickHeretoviewthisLink.

DeKaylinMetcalf

DeKaylinMetcalfisaphysicalspecimen.He'slong,smoothandincrediblywellcoached.Whatheisn'tisafive-starprospect…yet.Metcalfhasbeenrightontheedgeofgaininganextrastarforsometimenow,butquestionsabouthisstraight-linespeedandlevelofcompetitionlinger.MetcalfcouldusetheAll-Stargametoshowcasehisquicknessandtoannouncethathe'scapableofputtinguphisusualmonsternumbersagainsttop-flightcompetition.Thisisthesortofstagethefour-starwidereceiverneedstomakehiscase.

SouthCarolinaClickHeretoviewthisLink.

DariusWhitfield

DariusWhitfieldhashadabitofanunevenweekofpractice.Hestruggledondayonebeforereboundingwithahyper-impressivedaytwo.Heleveledoutfromthere,splittingthedifference.There'salottolikeaboutWhitfield,buthe'sabitshortandneedstoaddmuscle.Thatsaid,hisfeetarequickandhisviolenthandsmakehimversatile.Whatkindofgamehe'llhaveisreallyanyone'sguess.

SouthernMissClickHeretoviewthisLink.

SouthernMisscommitJacquesTurner

SouthernMisshadafewcommitsgrabsomeattentionthisweek,butnonehavebeenbetterthanDemetriusMarket,whohasslashedgreathandsandimpressiveelusiveness.Markethasstoodtoe-to-toewithplayersgoingtoPower5programsandcomparedfavorablyinmostcases.HecouldbeinlineforanicegameonSaturday.

StanfordClickHeretoviewthisLink.

BaileyMcElwain

Fullbackisadyingposition,butBaileyMcElwainstandsasoneofthefew.HehasthebuildtothrowpunishingblocksbutalsoseemstobepartoftheTeamAlabamaoffense.Ofcourse,howheblockssomemassiveTeamMississippidefenderswillbetheimportantmeasuringstick,butMcElwaincouldmixinsomeoffensivefireworksaswell.

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Velus Jones

No player on either team has been more uneven than Velus Jones. The four-star wide receiver has looked downright spectacular during some workouts while struggling during others. He certainly has the tools and has shown himself to be a deep threat. Which version of Jones emerges at game time will say plenty about where he is developmentally.