Players to Watch: Mississippi State

Texas A&M will need to stop these players

COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M is still riding high following their 24-17 victory over Ole Miss. Despite offensive struggles from Kellen Mond, a solid out from Isaiah Spiller and the defense sealed the deal.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs might be the top sub .500 team in the nation. Joe Moorhead has done a fantastic job keeping the program afloat following the departure of Dan Mullen for Florida. Three straight losses will make State competitive come Saturday morning.

The Bulldogs feature a plethora of talent on both sides of the ball A&M will need to watch. Here are several names all Aggie fans should know.

QUARTERBACK GARRETT SHRADER

The freshman quarterback split time with Tommy Stevens to begin the season. Stevens, a Penn State transfer, struggled to produce anything, leading to Moorhead promoting Shrader.

"Their quarterback is a big, strong guy," A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. "He can make plays."

The dual-threat quarterback has been far from perfect, throwing as many interceptions as touchdowns. His strength lies in the lower part of his body as Shrader ranks second in rushing yards. In the open field, he can make defenders miss and pick up first downs to keep drives alive.

Should the Aggies defense contain the run game, Shrader will be forced to pass. While his arm is serviceable, it's the ground game that keeps the Bulldogs in the contest late. A&M's game plan should be similar to that of Rebels' John Rhys Plumlee, force him to pass often.

RUNNING BACK KYLIN HILL

Shrader is second in rushing this season for State. He trails Hill, who has been one of the more productive backs in the SEC. A balanced runner of both power and speed, the junior has been a fixture of State's offense this season.

A play where Kylin Hill added to his highlight reel with a hurdle of Kary Vincent also set up one of the strangest plays of the season in any #LSU game.

Slot receiver Isaiah Zuber (12) comes back toward the quarterback on the play... pic.twitter.com/mLZb057lt7

— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) October 20, 2019

Hill ranked fourth in the conference in rushing with 643 yards and five total touchdowns. His ability to continue runs with a low-center gives the Bulldogs multiple opportunities to score.

In the red zone, Hill has shown his strength. Four of his touchdowns have come from inside the 10, mostly near the goal line. While the Bulldogs have two runners behind the line of scrimmage, in the red zone, watch for Hill.

WIDE RECEIVER OSIRIS MITCHELL

The Bulldogs are similar to their rivals across the State with the sense that they enjoy running the football. That doesn't mean they can't score through the air. Mitchell has been one of the top receivers in the conference this season.

The junior has collected 24 catches for 335 yards and four touchdowns, Working up the seam, Mitchell currently is averaging 14 yards per catch, keeping State out on the field offensively. Against conference opponents, he's collected 127 yards, but only one touchdown.

With the Aggies plan to stop the run, Mitchell could be a productive player. Should A&M succeed, Shrader will likely look to him as the top target. Mitchell's early production has made him the more valued receiver and Saturday could lead to big things for his future.

SAFETY BRIAN COLE

The Bulldogs defense needed a leader to step in place of Jeffery Simmons and Montez Sweat. Cole has been one of the more vocal players on State's defense. Saturday, he could be the x-factor.

The senior safety continues to have a stable career out in Starkville. This season, Cole has collected 26 solo tackles, along with a forced fumble and interceptions. His coverage skills overall have helped with the program's defensive success.

It's a Cole World 🥶

Brian Cole II leads all Power 5 defensive backs in tackles for loss with 3.5 😤#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/qqI29JNOMI

— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) September 10, 2019

A majority of the defensive line is returning for State, the same unit that held SEC leading rusher Trayveon Williams to 26 yards a season ago. The Aggies could be relying on their passing attack to help set up them up for success. An overthrown pass by Mond could lead to a turnover made by Cole in the open field.

CORNERBACK CAMERON DANTZLER

State is known for its front seven out in the SEC. In the secondary, Dantzler has been a consistent man in coverage. Fisher praised the junior's success, calling him a "top corner" in the conference.

"He's going to be one of the best corners we play all year long," Fisher said. "He's athletic."

Dantzler's stats have been decent in the run game. So far, he's finished with 17 tackles and a forced fumble. His coverage skills have been his shining moment. This season, Dantzler has collected two interceptions and six pass deflections.

Mond will likely throw more often Saturday morning. His game will rely on finding open targets and moving the clock. Dantzler could eliminate a player like Quartney Davis, taking away a focal piece to Mond's success.