Mississippi State Lands Commitment from 2024 JUCO RB
Mississippi State landed a commitment from JUCO running back Johnnie Daniels, the first commitment under new head coach Jeff Lebby. The Bulldogs were in need of some backfield help, with senior running back Jo'Quavious Marks heading to the NFL draft. Behind Marks, who led the team in rushing three of the last four seasons, true freshman Seth Davis was the next man up, with 356 yards and one touchdown in his debut season.
Daniels, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound prospect from Copiah-Lincoln Community College, will look to add some experience to a young rotation for Mississippi State. He carried the ball 132 times for 898 yards and 11 touchdowns in his final season at Copiah-Lincoln.
Daniels provides an ability to break arm tackles and is able to bounce runs to the outside, gaining extra yards when the line of scrimmage is full of traffic. His patience behind the line of scrimmage also allows for the offensive line to establish their blocks and open up holes in the run game, giving Daniels the opportunity to gain extra yards when it appears there is no running lane.
Running backs have not been a focal point for Mississippi State the last few seasons, with the Bulldogs running an air raid offense under Mike Leach. With new head coach Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State will look to get the running backs more involved in the offense, taking some of the pressures off of a potentially new starter this season.
The 2024 running back should compete for playing time early. The Crystal Springs native returns to his home state to play for an up-and-coming head coach in the SEC.