Nov 03, 2012; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs running back LaDarius Perkins (27) advances the ball during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

Height: 5’10″

Weight: 195 pounds

Drafted By:

40 Yard Dash:

Bench Press:

Vertical Jump:

Broad Jump:

Scouting Report/Player Notes

Perkins is a smaller back at 5’10″ 195 pounds who could be one of the quicker tailbacks in college football. Enjoyed the best season of his career as a junior when he rushed for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns, also catching 19 passes for 160 yards and two more scores. He is expected to be one of the best backs in the country in 2013, and the former backup to Vick Ballard has proven that he is more than just a change of pace back. He has good balance, vision, and is slippery for his size. Really good speed and quickness and can make defenders miss in the open field. He’s also spent time as a return specialist and has proven that he can be effective in that area as well. Certainly, this is a guy to keep an eye on going into his senior season as a potential mid-round running back with some upside as a receiver.

Stats

Video Highlights (via YouTube)

Career Highlights

Weight:  300 pounds

Position Rank:

Drafted By:

40 Yard Dash:  N/A

Bench Press:  N/A

Vertical Jump:  N/A

Broad Jump:  N/A

20-Yard Shuttle: N/A

Career Stats

2012

2011

Scouting Report/Player Notes

Boyd is a very good run defending defensive tackle prospect who plays with good power and leverage, but he’s not near the pass rusher his former teammate Fletcher Cox was a year ago. Boyd is a gap-clogger who can occupy blockers and sometimes make plays in the backfield, but he’s definitely most effective as a gap-stuffing run defender. He’s quick off the snap and does a good job playing with pop, but if his quickness isn’t good enough to get him in the backfield, he can be rendered ineffective pretty quickly. I think he could potentially be a player teams look at in the first two rounds. He has been unable to put up big numbers with Cox off to the NFL, but I still think he’s a very solid prospect.

Video Highlights (via YouTube)

November 3, 2012; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers defensive end Sam Montgomery (99) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during a game at Tiger Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 21-17. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

The LSU Tigers are looking to get back on track after a really tough, late-game collapse against the Alabama Crimson Tide, and Mississippi State is looking to be the second team to beat the Tigers this season. I think this could be a big ‘get back on track’ win for the Tigers, who are hungry after that tough loss.

Here are the top pro prospects for both teams:

LSU Tigers

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Here is a preview for what you’re getting with the team by team looks:

99 Sam Montgomery, Defensive End, Junior  6’4″ 245 pounds

Montgomery has about as quick a first step as I have seen in quite some time. His numbers as a RS Sophomore back that up with 13 TFL and 9 sacks heading into the national championship game. He has insane athletic ability and great length, and he is still growing into his frame and has a ton of room to grow as a pass rusher as well. LSU’s defense is full of playmakers, but I think even individually this guy stands out as one of the best defensive players I’ve seen in college ball. He has elite upside and I think he should be a top five pre-season graded player by most outlets, and if he’s not, you might have to question why. He is relentless in his pursuit and has a great motor, and he looks like he just flat out has fun playing the game. Motivated by the death of his brother, a life-changing event that can shape a man as an individual, something that teams will look into as well. Bottom line–this kid is a beast and he is going to have to do a lot to make me un-impressed next season. He is what baseball fans would call a “five-tool” player and I think he has the potential to be an elite NFL pass rusher.

Oct 20, 2012; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Johnathan Banks (13) carries the ball up the field for extra yardage during the game against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State Bulldogs defeated the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 45-3. Mandatory Credit: Spruce DerdenÐUS PRESSWIRE

13 Johnthan Banks, Cornerback, Senior  6’1″ 185 pounds

Johnthan Banks is probably one of if not the top cornerback prospect available in the entire crop of players available in 2013. He has height, weight, speed, and he can really do it all. He’s a leader on the Mississippi State defense, a team that is competing for a national title in 2012. He has excellent length and overall quickness, but it’s his ability to create turnovers that will attract NFL scouts the most. Banks forced three fumbled and picked off five passes as a junior when he could have easily declared for the draft and been one of the first CBs taken, and as a senior, he already has four interceptions. He’s been playing well since he was a freshman, where he wasn’t a highly recruited player but has always overachieved and become one of the top defenders in the nation. As a freshman, he had four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. On his career, he has picked off 16 passes and counting, and he really offers some versatility in terms of his ability to return punts and play multiple positions on the defense. You kind of get a “poor man’s” Charles Woodson vibe out of him. He can make plays all over the field, and I think he’ll hear his name called in the first 32 picks barring some kind of injury.

97 Josh Boyd, Defensive Tackle, Senior  6’3″ 300 pounds

Boyd is a very good run defending defensive tackle prospect who plays with good power and leverage, but he’s not near the pass rusher his former teammate Fletcher Cox was a year ago. Boyd is a gap-clogger who can occupy blockers and sometimes make plays in the backfield, but he’s definitely most effective as a gap-stuffing run defender. He’s quick off the snap and does a good job playing with pop, but if his quickness isn’t good enough to get him in the backfield, he can be rendered ineffective pretty quickly. I think he could potentially be a player teams look at in the first two rounds. He has been unable to put up big numbers with Cox off to the NFL, but I still think he’s a very solid prospect.

10 Cameron Lawrence, Linebacker, Senior  6’2″ 230 pounds

Lawrence is a senior linebacker who has enjoyed great success in the Mississippi State defense. As a junior, he totaled 123 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, and two interceptions. As a senior, he is among the team leaders in tackles, tackles for loss, as well as sacks and is once again a leader for the team. He is an incredibly versatile player who has played quarterback, receiver, safety,and linebacker for the Bulldogs. He has impressive size at the linebacker position but the jury remains out what kind of athlete he is. He will come into the NFL and be a productive special teams player right away, and perhaps an eventual starter at the linebacker position.

9 Darius Slay, Cornerback, Senior  6’1″ 190 pounds

Another big cornerback prospect who is coming onto the scene as a senior after playing the first two years of his career at a junior college. Spent the first season he had (2011) at MSU as a reserve and special teams player, but is coming into his own as a senior with four picks and a blocked kick already through the team’s first seven games (10-23-12). He is raw in his technique, but he shows natural ability making plays and has already scored a touchdown this year. He is a very green player, but some team should take a risk on him and I think he could develop into potentially a starting defensive back with really good size and ball skills.

1 Chad Bumphis, Wide Receiver, Senior  5’10″ 200 pounds

Solid receiver who is emerging in his senior season as the team’s leading receiver and showing that his compact build and playmaking abilities can translate to the NFL level. Good speed in the open field and the ability to make defenders miss. Capable of making big plays down the field and contributing in the return game. I’m excited to learn more about this prospect, and I think he could be a very good value in the later rounds as a high upside selection, or a guy who can come in and be a very solid special teams player.

Vick Ballard RB Mississippi State

This is our Vick Ballard scouting report. Ballard is a running back for Mississippi State. Ballard is well-built running back who was a red-zone demon last year racking up 20 rushing touchdowns in 2010.

For all of our scouting reports check out our scouting report page

Measurables

5′ 10 219 pounds, 31 3/4 inch arms, 9.5 inch hands

4.65 40 yard dash, 23 bench press reps, 33 inch vertical jump, 115 inch broad jump, 7.03 three cone drill, 4.19 second 20 yard shuttle

Stats:

2011:

2010:

Pros:

Tough nose runner…gets north and south in a hurry…could be a really nice short yardage and redzone option…Real good size…routinely falls forward to gain extra yardage…powerful legs…good vision…durable…plus blocker (but needs more experience there too)…runs balanced…will lower his head and run some people over

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Measurables:

6’4″ 298 pounds, 34.5 inch long arms, 10 3/8 inch hands

4.79 forty yard dash, 30 bench press reps, 26 inch vertical jump, 103 inch broad jump, 7.07 3 cone drill, 4.53 20 yard shuttle

Projected Round: 1

Scouting Report

Emerging player really coming on as a junior. He has really good size and could play in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. Similar size to that of Nick Fairley the former Auburn defensive tackle who took the country by storm in 2010. I don’t think he is quite as good of a prospect, but he has been named the Defensive Lineman of the Week in the SEC four times this season, which is a pretty high honor. He has very good athletic ability and a lot of upside going to the next level. I would like to see him get better leverage on opposing offensive linemen and make more sacks or plays behind the line, even though he has excelled in that area this season. Still very raw in his overall abilities. Relies a lot on his athletic ability, which won’t fly in the NFL. He needs to have better technique to be able to handle NFL offensive linemen. Does a good job of using his upper body strength to move linemen. He can line up both inside and outside, though he is more effective collapsing the pocket from the inside, it appears.

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LSU Wide Receiver Rueben Randle

I don’t typically remember the college football season including so many great early season matchups, but 2011 has been filled with them and week three is no different, starting off with a Thursday night special featuring Vick Ballard’s Mississippi State Bulldogs taking on Morris Claiborne and the LSU defense.

LSU’s defense is as mean as a copperhead snake. I have wanted to say that since I heard it on Remember the Titans, but truly, this is a game filled with NFL prospects, specifically on the Tigers’ side.

One guy I am looking forward to seeing play is LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle, a former top high school prospect who is finally coming into his own as an LSU Tiger.

You can check out my full list of LSU prospects by following this link, and you can see the Mississippi State crew by clicking here.

Enjoy the game, and take notes! Feel free to Tweet your questions to me @SayreBedinger and @NFLmocks.

Here we are again gearing up for another very exciting weekend in College Football. Below is a link to a Podcast put together by NFL Mocks writer Jason Madson and features NFL Mock’s Jon Dove and In the Bleachers Michael Felder.  The podcast touches on several hot topics in every conference in College Football.  This week we discuss the legal troubles at Florida, talk about the big stories in each conference in The Breakdown, make our selections in the PGWU Pick’Em segment and finish the show off with the World Famous Prospect Quick Fire.

Pregame Warm-Up Podcast