STARKVILLE — While Mississippi State’s matchup against Louisville in the Music City Bowl is now set following last week’s official announcement, the 2020 NFL draft has begun to take its toll on the Bulldogs’ roster.
Over the past two weeks, junior running back Kylin Hill and junior cornerback Cameron Dantzler announced they will both forgo their final years of eligibility to enter the draft.
And though both players will be off to the professional ranks next fall, only Hill will suit up for the Bulldogs in their final game of the season.
Following the recent trend that has plagued postseason football throughout the collegiate landscape over the past few seasons, Dantzler becomes the latest high-profile player to skip his team’s bowl game in favor of preparing for his NFL future.
“After praying over it and discussing it with my family, I have decided that now is the best time for me to pursue my dream of playing in the NFL,” he wrote in a statement Dec. 6. “I would like to thank the University, entire coaching staff and all my teammates. I am forever grateful for every member of the Bulldogs community #HAILSTATE!”
Speaking with the media Friday, MSU coach Joe Moorhead offered his own thoughts on players opting not to play in what would be their final college contests.
“Generally speaking, if you have to convince a kid to play in the game, then he should probably move on,” Moorhead said.
Though the second-year head coach would obviously prefer to have his full stable of players heading into the Dec. 30 matchup with Louisville, the draft process has become a major part of bowl season — regardless of whom MSU may face on the field.
For example, as a help to players deciding whether to play in postseason competition or not, one MSU staffer was instructed to research past players who skipped bowl games and how that correlated to their draft stock.
“That’s information that we provide,” Moorhead said of trying to help his players make an informed decision. “I understand it. Kids need to make a decision that’s in their best interest, and we have to also be mindful to the guys that we have on the team for the game that we have to win.”
As for the rest of the Bulldogs, the draft process remains ongoing in Starkville. Moorhead announced Friday that MSU applied for NFL draft grades for five players this season — junior linebackers Erroll Thompson and Willie Gay Jr., junior defensive end Marquiss Spencer, Hill and Dantzler.
“We’ve already had one meeting in anticipation of them coming and kind of discussed the available information,” Moorhead said of his players who are debating NFL futures. “Once the grades do come in — and they come in on a rolling basis — we have another plan to get back together with the kids and their families if they are available. We will help them make an informed decision.”
Players have until Jan. 20 to enter the 2020 draft. Of note, 103 underclassmen declared for last season’s draft — 30 of them went unselected.
Dawg notes
Moorhead also announced Friday he does not anticipate any staff changes in the immediate future and that he will reconvene after the bowl game to make final evaluations.
“Right now we are focused on preparation, development, and getting ready for Louisville,” he said. “When the game ends, there is a period of time post-bowl and pre-convention where I will sit down and do reflection, make evaluations on everyone on the staff and within the program and make decisions that are necessary from there.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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