Mississippi State Bulldogs Top NFL Prospects for 2012 and Beyond

14 Chris Relf, Quarterback, 6’4″ 245 (Senior)

Dual threat quarterback probably not on the top of your prospect lists for 2011, but still a player to watch as Mississippi State is ranked 20th in the country in the pre-season. Very big quarterback prospect who possesses all the physical tools you look for, but has only limited tape as a starting quarterback. Still very raw in that regard, and his accuracy right now is a major question. Despite that, he has the highest quarterback efficiency rating of any Mississippi State signal caller, and also ranks third in school history with a career completion percentage of 56.7 percent. He is not going to challenge Andrew Luck for the top pick, by any means, but keep an eye out for Relf, who could emerge as maybe one of the second or third tier quarterbacks in next year’s crop of players.

28 Vick Ballard, Running Back, 5’11” 220 (Senior)

Had a breakout season last year as a junior after transferring from junior college, where he was a first team All-American. At JUCO, Ballard rushed for 1,728 yards and 22 touchdowns, and he continued that success with Mississippi State, setting a school record by running for 19 touchdowns. He carried the ball last year 186 times for 968 yards, and added another score through the air. He actually has a pretty similar running style to that of fellow former SEC running back Mark Ingram. He’s not the fastest but he’s quick and has good size for a running back. Thanks to Mississippi State’s depth at running back, he likely won’t be forced to take too many carries and get wear and tear on his body. Good vision and quickness, and better breakaway speed than his size would indicate. He will be a key component of the Mississippi State offense as a senior in 2011.

2 Robert Elliott, Running Back, 6’2″ 210 (Senior)

Elliott is a guy who had a ton of talent coming out of high school, but is another one of those players who just hasn’t worked out in college. He has fantastic size at 6’2″ and 210 pounds, and was a high school All-Star and one of the top running backs in the entire country. Where he has truly made his impact felt at Mississippi State is on special teams, where he is one of the more versatile players in that regard. He can block punts, and he can play on any coverage team. He will likely get a shot with some NFL team, and hopefully in his senior season he can make some strides as a running back. He only has two rushing touchdowns in his career, and hasn’t contributed much in the passing game, so he will need to have a big year if he wants to get drafted.

55 Quentin Saulsberry, Center, 6’2″ 300 (Senior)

Former defensive line prospect who switched to offense when he redshirted his first year at Mississippi State, and Saulsberry is a player that has become one of the leaders of this Bulldogs team. He has started all 37 of his games at Mississippi State, and has played four different positions along the offensive line. Has started for MSU at center, right guard, and right tackle, so he has great versatility. He’s the type of offensive lineman every NFL team loves to have. I think he best projects to the NFL as a center or guard.

4 Charles Mitchell, Defensive Back, 5’11” 205 (Senior)

Mitchell has had a very productive career at Mississippi State, playing the last two years at strong safety. He is regarded as one of the team’s better special teams players, and really burst onto the scene in 2009 when he had four interceptions as a sophomore. He didn’t record any interceptions last season, but he was third on the team with 93 tackles, and is a former SEC freshman All-Conference selection. Does a good job of reading plays and watching the quarterback’s eyes. He has versatility and should get a look from a bunch of NFL teams. I can see him making a team early as a special teams contributor, and he could eventually develop into a starting strong safety in the NFL.