Mississippi State Bulldogs Defensive Players to Watch Vs. Texas A&M Aggies

The Aggies host the Bulldogs, who lack depth at defense.

In this Week 5 matchup, the 3-1 Aggies continue their conference schedule and play host to the 2-2 Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs struggled on both offense and defense, amassing a 4-7 record a year ago. The biggest concern for MSU in 2021 is depth. The roster returns 16 of 22 starters on both sides of the ball, and those players look to improve from last season.

READ MORE: Locked On Aggies: It's Isaiah Spiller And Who Else For A&M's Offense?

MSU’s defense last season allowed an unremarkable 389.7 yards and 28.1 points per game. Those numbers are pretty much the same for 2021 thus far with 379.3 yards and 25.8 points allowed per game.

They return 8 starters from a year ago, and that starting unit is steady, but behind the starters are question marks. Linebacker Jett Johnson leads the team in tackles in 2021 with 29, and he's a force to be reckoned with when trying to run the ball.

Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes leads the team with two interceptions and is probably the best cover-corner on the Bulldogs' roster.

Make sure to stick with AllAggies.com through our season preview series, where we will analyze every opponent on the Aggies schedule in 2021.

READ MORE: What's The Aggies' Biggest Offensive Flaw?

Key Bulldog Defensive Players:

LB Jett Johnson

Junior linebacker Jett Johnson leads the team in 2021 with 29 tackles with 14 of those being solo. He also has one forced fumble on the young season. 

Johnson is somewhat of a ball hawk and specializes in stuffing the run. Of those 29 tackles, 25 have come in the last three games against NC State, Memphis, and LSU.

S Fred Peters

Senior safety Fred Peters is second on the team with 27 tackles, and also has one interception.

In the Week 4 28-25 loss to LSU, Peters had nine tackles, 4 of those being solo.

CB Emmanuel Forbes

Sophomore Emmanuel Forbes is fourth on the Bulldogs' squad with 21 tackles, 15 solos, and also has one sack and two interceptions on the season.

DE Randy Charlton

Junior Randy Charleton is tied with the team lead in sacks with two and has also contributed 15 tackles on the season, with seven of those being solo. 

He offers consistent pressure on the quarterback and can cause problems with the opposing running game too. 

READ MORE: Mississippi State Offensive Players To Watch vs Texas A&M

---

Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the All Aggies message board community today!

Follow AllAggies.com on Facebook and Twitter!

Want More Aggies News? Check Out The Latest In Texas A&M News Here