Auburn-Mississippi State: How we got here
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Ford was a four-star running back that Vanderbilt fans expected to be their workhorse back. But late in the process, Ford flipped to Auburn, even though that meant an end to his offensive career. While Ford has been worthy of his four-star ranking, he has exceeded expectations when it comes to his ability to contribute early in his career. Halfway through his sophomore season, Ford is second on Auburn in tackles and looks like he was born to be a defensive back.
Ruffin was a four-star ranked outside of the Rivals250 in the Class of 2014, but is already getting valuable playing time as a true freshman at cornerback. A soft-spoken prospect from Atlanta St. Pius X, Ruffin did not get the attention some of the Tigers other 2014 signees received, but he's already taking valuable snaps as a freshman. It remains to be seen just how good Ruffin can be, but he's surprising by being on the field so early in his career.
MEETING EXPECTATIONS
Filling the shoes of Heisman finalist Tre Mason isn't an easy job, but Artis-Payne has done a nice job thus far. A four-star junior college recruit in the Class of 2013, Artis-Payne is the Tigers' leading rusher with 594 yards and five touchdowns. He is not the home run threat Mason was last season, but he's a tough physical runner that helps wear down opposing defenses. Like Mason, he should get an opportunity to play at the next level.
While Auburn fans are happy with Marshall's ability to run the offense, it's also not out of line to think that they wouldn't mind seeing more of Johnson. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound quarterback can't help but draw comparisons to Cam Newton and when he has seen the field this year he has been pretty impressive. The former Rivals100 prospect is still waiting his turn, but with a 78.6 percent completion percentage in limited action this season, there's no doubt the future is bright once Marshall moves on.
Williams was ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the JUCO ranks in the class of 2014 and with good reason. He has quickly made his presence felt for the Tigers, emerging as the go-to man at the wide receiver position. When Williams landed with the Tigers, opposing fan bases questioned his decision, assuming Auburn's run-heavy offense wouldn't be able to get the ball in his hands. Thus far, that hasn't been a problem. Williams has 25 catches (nearly three times that of the next closest Auburn receiver) for 385 yards and three touchdowns. The threat of him in the passing game has only helped Auburn on the ground, and with the way he's played this season, it looks like Williams has one-and-done potential.
AMcKinzy cracked the Rivals250 in the Class of 2012, and has been one of Auburn's most consistent players. He leads the team in total tackles with 35, including three for loss and one sack. McKinzy flies to the ball on defense, setting the tone for an underrated part of the Tigers team.
A five-star in the Class of 2013 that once was as high as No. 2 overall in the Rivals100, Adams was expected to come in an anchor the Tigers defensive line. Over his first two seasons, he has done just that. This year, Adams looks to be more conditioned to SEC play and the results are showing up. He has 17 tackles on the year, including five for loss, five quarterback hurries and even one interception on his resume through the first half of the year. Coming out, Adams looked the part of a future first-round draft pick, and that continues to be the case.
BELOW EXPECTATIONS
It's still early in his career, but Stevens, a Rivals100 prospect in the Class of 2013, has yet to live up the hype behind his ranking. Through a season and half with the Tigers, Stevens has six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown and is clearly still carving out a role at Auburn. The emergence of Williams has taken some pressure off of Stevens, but by next year at this time Auburn fans and coaches will be looking for more production out of the former blue-chipper.
By no means is Thomas a disappointment, but there are some that expected him to walk in and have an impact from Day 1. He hasn't really gotten his shot yet, because he's stuck behind talented backs like Artis-Payne. With the said, Tigers fans would like to see the 2014 five-star get the ball in his hands more. On the season he has just 13 carries for 66 yards. His output is far behind other five-star running backs like Jalen Hurd and Leonard Fournette thus far.
It's been a rough career for the former four-star wide receiver who has struggled with injuries and hasn't had the opportunity to contribute like most expected. He's yet to play this season and has just four catches for 57 yards in his career. Ideally, he will redshirt this year and come back fully healthy in 2015.
Another former mid-three star, Robinson has had to wait his turn to have an impact in Starkville. This year he's served as Prescott's primary running mate and is having a breakout year. He's already over 500 yards, more than he had each of his first two seasons with the Bulldogs. He's also averaging 7.5 yards per carry and has shown an ability to be effective catching the ball out of the backfield, with nine receptions for 111 yards. His emergence has been a welcome surprise for Mississippi State.
Coming out of high school, McKinney was a 6-foot-4, 216-pound athlete who played all over the field. He was a low three-star in the class of 2011, but has grown into a 6-foot-5, 245-pound bone-crushing linebacker. He is Mississippi State's leading tackler, with 36 total tackles, six of which for loss. His three sacks is second on the team and he's also recovered a fumble. Some players truly blossom when they get to the next level and there's no finer example that McKinney.
As a low three-star out of Alabama in 2013, not much was expected from Wilson in terms of an immediate impact. Instead, he's bonded quickly with Prescott and finds himself as the team's leading receiver. He has just 14 catches, but it seems as if all of them have been for big gains. Wilson is averaging 17.6 yards per catch and also has five touchdowns.
MEETING EXPECTATIONS
It took a few years for Lewis to find his way in Starkville, but after a breakout junior season, he's settled into the perfect role as a security blanket for Prescott. He's probably outplayed his initial low three-star ranking, but in terms of expecations, this year he's right on track. He leads the team in receptions with 15 and is second in yards with 223. Combine that with his occasional carry out of the backfield and he's the perfect X-factor for Dan Mullen's offense.
A five-star defensive end in 2013, Jones has lived up to the hype thus far. He's bulked up and plays inside for the Bulldogs, but despite his added weight he hasn't lost any of the explosiveness that made him a special prospect. His stats won't blow anyone away -- 12 tackles and two sacks -- but with his size, speed and ability, he will probably have the option to leave school early following his junior season next year.
Redmond started his career as a controversial figure in Starkville, but has shown that his four-star ranking was accurate with his play this year. He's third on the team in total tackles with 24 and has been just as good in coverage with two interceptions and three passes defended. Redmond has always had the talent, and it's nice to seem him flourishing for the Bulldogs.
Brown is another prospect who came in with the "athlete" tag, but he's developed nicely as a linebacker as his career has gone along. He's added 25 pounds from his high school days without losing the terrific speed that made him special to begin with. Brown has 25 tackles, good for second on the team, with 4.5 for loss and one sack. His ability with play in space is what makes him a key part of the Bulldogs defense, and his ranking as a high three-star looks spot on.
BELOW EXPECTATIONS
Jones was the crown jewel of the Bulldogs 2011 class, ranked as the lone four-star. While other players from that class have outplayed their ranking, it's been a struggle for Jones to really live up to the hype. He's had decent seasons -- and has nine tackles and one sack this season -- but coming in, Bulldogs fans thought he might end up being more like the aforementioned Jones.
It's hard to put Brown on this list the week after he had three interceptions, but the former four-star needed a redshirt year as a freshman and a learning season last year before he was ready to be an impact guy this year. He has just 14 tackles on the year, but his instincts and ability to cover in space are really helping him come into his own. By the time this year is over, Brown likely won't be on this list, especially if he played like he did against Texas A&M.
The former four-star was a huge recruiting victory for the Bulldogs when they landed him out of Texas in 2013, but he's yet to have the impact most expected. For his career, he has 14 catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns, but he's averaging just one catch per game as a sophomore. There's still plenty of time for Ross to grow, but Bulldogs fans were hoping he would emerge as Prescott's go-to option this season and that just hasn't happened yet.
Woody Womack
Southeast Recruiting Analyst
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