Ranking Mississippi State’s five greatest impact players through two weeks

The Mississippi State Bulldogs have had no trouble scoring in 2014, posting a whopping 96 points in just two games this season. The Bulldogs are currently 2-0 and sitting just outside the Associated Press rankings, but with all eight SEC games remaining on their schedule, there are plenty of opportunities left for Mississippi State to make some noise in the daunting SEC West.

Here are the five players who have made the greatest impact on Mississippi State’s 2-0 start to the season:

1. Preston Smith: No single player has made more big plays through two games than the Bulldogs’ senior defensive end. It’s not often a defensive lineman leads a team in interceptions, but Smith’s pair of picks in Mississippi State’s first two games currently leads the Bulldogs defense. He’s batted passes at the line of scrimmage, hurried opposing quarterbacks, blocked a field goal against Southern Miss and even returned one of his interceptions 21 yards for a touchdown. Smith was rewarded for his stellar performances in MSU’s first two games with back-to-back SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors, and the Bulldogs’ defensive line is much more fierce with Smith on the field than when he is not.
2. Josh Robinson: The Bulldogs’ new starting tailback has been the most consistent member of the offense, rushing for a team-high 211 yards and a touchdown through two games. Robinson has averaged more than six yards per carry in 2014, and has also racked up 55 yards as a receiver this season. He is great at running after first contact, and follows his blockers well to maximize the gain on every play. His greatest asset to the offense is his ability to work in tandem with quarterback Dak Prescott in the Mississippi State rushing attack. Both players create openings for one another in the run game, playing off one another’s strengths in the backfield.
3. Benardrick McKinney: The Mississippi State middle linebacker leads the defense with 15 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry at the heart of the Mississippi State defense. McKinney is a veteran leader who anchors the defense and ensures that the other 10 players around him are lined up in the right spots and know their assignments on a given play. He is a stout run-stopper with great instincts and sure-tackling abilities, and can either rush the passer or play in coverage when defending against the pass. McKinney may be the Bulldogs’ most well-rounded player on defense, and his leadership at middle linebacker drives Geoff Collins’ “psycho defense” in the heat of battle.
4. Dak Prescott: Prescott is an emerging star as the Bulldogs’ dual-threat quarterback, and his play under center is a big reason why Mississippi State has put up points in bunches early in the season. Prescott has eight touchdown passes in two games, while averaging more than 200 yards per game through the air and more than 65 yards per game on the ground. He has thrown an interception in each of MSU’s first two contests, but neither pick cost the Bulldogs a win that week. Prescott has done a great job of protecting his body in the pocket as well as in the open field as a free runner, which will help maintain his explosiveness later in the season. Twelve different Bulldogs have caught a pass so far in 2014, and Prescott appears to be in complete control of the offense, even if Mullen continues to rotate Damian Williams in for a few series each game.
5. De’Runnya Wilson: The sophomore wideout leads Mississippi State in most major receiving categories, including catches (6), yards (84) and touchdowns (3). He has established himself as a favorite of Prescott’s in the red zone, as half of his catches through two weeks have gone for scores. Wilson was expected to be Mississippi State’s No. 2 receiver to Jameon Lewis this season, but in the wake of the death of Lewis’ brother, Wilson has stepped up as a primary pass-catching option to help keep the Bulldogs’ aerial attack afloat. When Mississippi State begins SEC play in a few weeks, it will likely limit the number of wideouts involved in the passing game, making Wilson’s every-down abilities all the more valuable to the Bulldogs the rest of the way.

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.