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Published Dec 16, 2014
What we learned: Alabama vs. Mississippi
Rob Cassidy
Recruiting Analyst
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic included days of practices before Saturday's contest. And while Team Alabama won a 36-30 thriller on the last play of the game, the main takeaways had little to do with the final score. Below are five things that were learned during the week in Montgomery.
1.
Kerryon Johnson packs a punch
Johnson is known for his speed and his shiftiness. That's his calling card and that makes him a high four-star prospect. He brought an added dimension to Montgomery, though.
Despite not being the biggest back, the Auburn commit showed a surprising streak of power during All-Star week. He trucked defenders in Saturday's game and showed himself to be perfectly fine with lowering his shoulder to fight for extra yardage. The yards after contact that Johnson racked up were impressive and a bit of added bonus to his already impressive skill set.
2. Terence Davis could be a two-sport star
A two-star prospect, Davis has offers from Memphis and Louisiana Monroe. Judging by the week he had in Montgomery, that list of suitors should be a little longer. No matter, though, Davis will play basketball at Ole Miss in college, which is a shame for college football fans.
The 6-foot-4 Davis has a great receiver's frame and his athleticism is off the charts. He made a number of one-handed catches in practice over the course of the week and led Team Mississippi in receiving on game day. He could easily compete at the FBS level instead of playing basketball if he desired, but the heart wants what it wants.
3. Fletcher Adams' future is at end, not tackle.
The No. 19 defensive tackle in America may not be a defensive tackle at all. Fletcher Adams worked at end for the entirety of the week and looked good doing it. Fletcher is a beefy end, sure, but he has the footwork and the quickness to play the strong side in college. Adams could develop into the rare run-stuffing defensive end, as he certainly has the size and physicality. He's not too shabby as a pass-rusher, either.
His skill set suits the position and his ranking shouldn't suffer a significant hit when he makes the transition to his new spot.
4. Daron Payne is evolving
You have to struggle to find reasons to knock five-star prospects, and the knock on Daron Payne is his stamina. In the past, the 330-pound defensive tackle would tire quickly after multiple reps in succession, but it seems as though he's taken steps to fix that issue.
Payne showed up in Montgomery looking trim by his standards. And while he still has some work to do, it's easy to see his progress. His reshaped body has not affected his strength of which he still has plenty. Payne routinely tossed offensive linemen aside and found himself in the opposing backfield often. The fact that he was ejected from the game itself for a halftime shove didn't diminish the work he did prior to the incident.
5. Keith Mixon's speed is devastating
Keith Mixon is undersized. There's no hiding that and no use in trying to deny it. A 5-foot-8, the Mississippi State commit still manages to stand out, though. That's mostly due to the fact that he's capable of outrunning nearly anyone he comes in contact with.
By their nature, practices at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game didn't allow Mixon to showcase his best asset, but once game day arrived, everything was out in the open. Mixon racked up return yardage, yards after the catch and even broke a couple of long runs on sweeps. Mississippi State is getting a certifiable burner that is versatile enough to make plays in a number of different ways.
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