Mississippi State's 2024 Recruiting Class Gets Boost with Zavion Hardy's Commitment

Nation’s top JUCO prospect picks Mississippi State, giving the Bulldogs 3 of the top 4 JUCO prospects

Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby stands on the sidelines during the second quarter of the game against the Toledo Rockets at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby said he was hoping some recruiting news would come sooner or later.

And it definitely came sooner.

The nation’s top junior college prospect committed to Mississippi State. Edge player Zavion Hardy, currently playing at East Mississippi Community College, picked the Bulldogs over teams such as South Carolina, Oklahoma and USC.

Hardy originally committed to South Carolina coming out of high school, but elected to go the junior college route and wound up EMCC. Hardy’s commitment give Lebby one his biggest recruiting wins and is the highest-rated player on the Bulldogs’ 32nd ranked recruiting class.

That class now includes three of the top four junior college prospects five of the Top 11.

Safety Tony Mitchell, a teammate of Hardy’s at EMCC, is the nation’s No. 2-ranked juco prospect and defensive lineman Kevonte Henry (Cerritos College) is No. 4.

Taylor’s Take

Props to Lebby for not giving anything away at Tuesday’s press conference. I would’ve had an evil smirk and that’s always a dead giveaway (yes, I’m terrible at poker).

Hardy is a major win for Mississippi State. He fills one of the Bulldogs’ biggest needs as this year’s defense has just five sacks.

Mississippi State’s 2025 Recruiting Class

4-Stars

Zavion Hardy, Edge, East Mississippi Community College

Tony Mitchell, S, East Mississippi Community College

Tyler Lockhart, LB, Winona (Winona, Miss.)

Ferzell Shepard, WR, Scotlandville Magnet (Baton Rogue, La.)

KaMario Taylor, Ath, Noxubee County (Macon, Miss.)

Tyshun Willis, Edge, Velma Jackson (Camden, Miss.)

Mario Nash Jr., IOL, Kemper County (De Kalb, Miss.)

3-Stars

Davian Jackson, WR, Westgate (New Iberia, La.)

Steve Miller, Ath, Greene County (Greensboro, Ga.)

AJ Rice, LB, Madison Academy (Madison, Ala.)

Kevonte Henry, DL, Cerritos College (Norwalk, Calif.)

Geron Johnson, RB, Barlett (Bartlett, Tenn.)

Derrion Horsley, CB, East Coweta (Sharpsburg, Ga.)

Sekou Smith Jr., S, Miami Central (Miami, Fla.)

Austin Howard, LB, Bartlett (Batlett, Tenn.)

LaKendrick James, LB, Copiah-Lincoln CC (Wesson, Miss.)

Kolin Wilson, RB, Gulf Shores (Gulf Shores, Ala.)

Christopher Johnson, DL, Robert E. Lee (Montgomery, Ala.)

Josiah Clemons, IOL, Madison Central (Madison, Miss.)

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