STARKVILLE — Two Mississippi State football players will play in postseason All-Star games.
Wide receiver Fred Ross accepted an invitation to the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl, and center Jamaal Clayborn will play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
The Senior Bowl will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 (NFL Network), at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 (Fox Sports 1), at California State University Dominguez Hills.
Ross is the 90th Bulldog to play in the Senior Bowl. He is MSU’s first wide receiver to be invited since Justin Jenkins was in 2004. The Tyler, Texas, native has broken six MSU records, including four career records: catches (195), consecutive games with a catch (34), 100-yard receiving games (10), and receiving yards (2,484).
This season, Ross has 68 catches for 873 yards and 12 touchdowns — the most in the Southeastern Conference.
Clayborn has started 24 games the last two seasons. This season, he helped the Bulldogs rush for 2,798 yards (233.2 per game).
MSU (5-7) will play Miami University (6-6) at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 26 (ESPN), in the St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
n In related news, MSU redshirt freshman quarterback Nick Tiano announced via Twitter that he is transferring to Chattanooga. The Chattanooga, Tennessee, native tweeted last week that he was going to pursue football and educational opportunities outside of MSU.
“I’m excited to announce I am going back home to play for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga! #GoMocs,” Tiano tweeted Monday.
In five games this, Tiano was 1 of 1 for 5 yards.
n Ole Miss’ Kelly added to Senior Bowl roster: At Oxford, Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly has been added to the roster for the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Kelly is one of 67 seniors who have accepted invitations to the game that features many of the nation’s top NFL prospects. He will join Ole Miss teammate and favorite receiving target Evan Engram, although Kelly will be unable to play in the game while recovering from knee surgery.
Kelly finished his Ole Miss career with 25 school records, including career marks for most 300-yard passing games (12) and most consecutive games with a passing touchdown (22). He is the 2016 Southeastern Conference leader with 343.3 total yards per game (seventh nationally) and 306.4 passing yards per outing (ninth in nation). A semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award and finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, he threw for 19 touchdowns with eight interceptions and rushed for another five touchdowns in nine games before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus against Georgia Southern.
n Stringfellow declares for NFL draft: At Oxford, Ole Miss receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow announced Monday he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2017 NFL draft.
“I cannot begin to express to Rebel Nation what an honor and privilege these last three years have been putting on the Ole Miss jersey each Saturday,” Stringfellow said. “The fans’ endless support, both on and off the field, has allowed me to grow and develop into the athlete and man that I am today.
“In that light, after much reflection and prayer, it pleases and saddens me to announce that I have decided to forgo my senior year and declare for the 2017 NFL Draft to pursue my dream of playing on Sundays. I would like to thank my family, coaches, professors and most of all the fans that have given me the love, courage and much needed prayer to go out and make Oxford proud. I truly would not have this amazing opportunity without you.”
A 6-foot-2, 219-pounder from Perris, California, Stringfellow had 82 receptions for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns in his two seasons at Ole Miss.
n Alabama’s Allen wins Bronko Nagurski Trophy: At Charlotte, North Carolina, Alabama senior defensive lineman Jonathan Allen is the recipient of the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is presented annually to the national collegiate defensive player of the year.
Allen is the first Alabama player to win the award. Teammate Reuben Foster, who won the Dick Butkus Award on Sunday, was also a finalist for the Nagurski.
Allen leads the Tide in quarterback hurries (15) and shares the team lead in sacks (eight-and-a-half) to go along with 13 tackles for loss. He has also returned a team-leading two fumble recoveries for 105 combined yards and two touchdowns.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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