Pair of Mississippi State Football Standouts Named to C-Spire Conerly Trophy Preseason Watch List

Quarterback Will Rogers and defensive tackle Nathan Pickering are two players to keep an eye on for the prestigious award.

Two veteran Mississippi State football standouts have been named to the C-Spire Conerly Trophy Preseason Watch List.

Quarterback Will Rogers and defensive tackle Nathan Pickering were listed as some of the top players in contention for the prestigious accolade heading into the 2022 season. The award is named in honor of Charlie Conerly, a former Ole Miss All-American quarterback and New York Giants star. It is presented to the best football player in the state of Mississippi at the end of each regular season. 

Rogers was a contender for the award in 2021 after an outstanding sophomore season that ended with him ranked as one of the best signal-callers in the SEC. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior out of Brandon High School recorded an NCAA-best completion percentage of 74 percent last year and threw for 4,739 yards with 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has once again been projected to finish as one of the best quarterbacks in the conference by multiple media outlets. 

Pickering quickly became a solid piece of Mississippi State's defense last season after years of putting in hard work and fighting for a starting position. The defensive lineman started all 13 games for the Bulldogs in 2021 and recorded 27 total tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks. At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, Pickering is a dominant force on the gridiron and will likely play a huge role in leading State's defense to success. 

The 27th C-Spire Conerly Trophy will be presented in late November. Each university within the Magnolia State will finish the year with one nominee for the award. The overall winner will be selected by a panel of coaches, scouts and statewide media.