MORE: Mississippi State's 2018 commitment list
Rivals100 New Orleans (La.) Landry-Walker wide receiver Devonta “Whop” Jason made his commitment to Mississippi State on Wednesday morning, completing a bizarre recruitment for one of the nation’s best pass catchers. Jason originally made a commitment to LSU as an underclassman, only to back off that pledge prior to his junior year. Jason then made a stunning commitment to Kansas in February of this year, a move that drew national headlines. But Mississippi State did a great job working on Jason behind the scenes and despite a coaching change, managed to reel him in over the past month.
WHY IT'S BIG FOR MISSISSIPPI STATE
Some questioned whether or not new head coach Joe Moorhead could recruit in the Southeast, especially given his lack of ties to the area. But getting into town in Starkville and selling Jason on the chance to be an impact player in his offense is a major win. Louisiana, and New Orleans in particular, is a key recruiting area for Mississippi State and getting off on the right foot with a prospect like Jason can’t be understated. Jason is a reliable red zone threat and had a knack for making big plays and Bulldogs fans should be excited that he will be doing it in Starkville.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT MISSED OUT
LSU has been involved in Jason’s recruitment on and off and while some Tigers fans will be puzzled to see him not in the class, it appears they focused their efforts on other prospects at the position. The same can’t be said for Kansas, who pulled out all the stops to land Jason’s commitment initially and keep him in the fold. Had things gone just a little better on the field this year in Lawrence, things might have been different with Jason and he might have ended up a Jayhawk.
