Best of Big Dawg Camp

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State hosted its annual Big Dawg camp on Friday night and the event lived up to its name. Only the big dogs were in attendance as it was a camp that was stocked with talented players at every position and everybody belonged.

Shelby Christy was the most consistent big receiver on Friday.

The event revealed some major sleepers, helped raise the stock of some Mississippi State commits and may sparked some Bulldog interest in others. 247Sports was on hand for the evening. We take a look at our top performers.

1. Xavier Woods, CB, Monroe (La.) West Monroe – When you can draw the praise of Mississippi State legend and NFL veteran Fred Smoot, you’re doing something right. That is exactly what Woods was able to do on Friday evening as Smoot couldn’t get enough of the Louisiana native. Woods was locking everyone down and he was doing it from press man, and from an “off” position as well. His feet are outstanding and he showed elite make-up speed with the ball in the air. Currently Woods only has mid-level offers but he looked SEC-ready on Friday.

2. Cameron Fraser, OG, Phenix City (Ala.) Central – Fraser has offensive tackle size but spent much of the evening playing guard for the Mississippi State coaches. No one was more effective in one-on-ones. Fraser was able to anchor down and limit powerful interior rushers but even when he got matched up with a quicker speed guy, Fraser showed elite feet and instincts. Fraser is currently a USF commit but he could see increased interest from Mississippi State following his Friday performance.

3. Anthony Johnson, LB, Maplesville, Ala. – This was the second camp of the day for Johnson. He competed at Ole Miss in the morning as a tight end then he came to Mississippi State in the evening to compete as a linebacker. He was surely tired but he competed with as much energy as anyone. Johnson is a lanky, rangy linebacker with fantastic length who is a long way from reaching his frame’s potential. His offer list is spattered with FCS type of offers and low level FBS schools but he had a major breakout performance on Friday night.

4. Kailo Moore, RB, Rosedale (Miss.) West Bolivar – Moore really showed us something on Friday night. The Mississippi State commit’s speed is well-documented but he showed that he’s not just a straightline burner. Moore showed the ability to cut at full-speed and he showed a very nice route-running capability. He truly can be a complete running back on the next level and be more than just a boom or bust type of back.

5. Andrew Billings, DT, Waco, Texas – This kid is just a football player. The height is not there but everything else is. Billings has phenomenal power and he seems to love the physical side of the game. His size allows him to play with leverage and he explosiveness when engaged is jolting. The primary factor limiting Billings’ rating is that sawed off height but after seeing him in person, there is a lot more to like than there is to cause concern.

6. Shelby Christy, WR, Geismar (La.) Dutchtown – There were several big receivers in attendance. Bulldog commits Deandre Woods and B.J. Hammond both had their moments but they faded in the evening, tired from a 7on7 earlier in the day. Christy never slowed and he was the most consistent receiver threat throughout the day. His size and hands combine with crisp routes and an understanding of how to use his size to be effective.

7. Ashton Shumpert, RB, Tupelo, Miss. – Shumpert has Mississippi State firmly in the mix in his top four and between him and Moore, a fantastic running back class could be forming. Shumpert has great size as a between the tackles type back and he runs with great purpose and decisiveness. Perhaps his play of the day was when he made a linebacker miss with a type of 360 move that left his opponent stunned. Shumpert’s performance really helped himself and he’s proving that he can be an elite SEC level back.

8. Chris Jones, DE, Houston, Miss. – Jones has the look of one of those Mississippi State defensive linemen that comes out of nowhere, packs on a lot of weight to an athletic frame and becomes an NFL scout’s dream. The kid has elite frame and athleticism and has a chance to be special. He is very raw at this point and is nowhere close to a finished product but it’s scary to think about what Jones could develop into.

9. Deon Hall, WR, Phenix City (Ala.) Central – Cornerback Xavier Woods was so dominating at times that it was hard to find a receiver that could make him work – until Hall stepped up to the challenge. While Christy was the top big receiver in attendance, Hall was the best slot type, showing really good quickness into his routes and the natural sure hands that you need out of the slot. Hall has no offers but should be a guy that adds a lot of interest late.

10. Nate Crawford, SDE, Pensacola (Fla.) West Florida Tech – Crawford is another defensive lineman that looks like he’s not even close to touching his ceiling. Crawford plays on the defensive edge right now but could develop into an interior defender as well. He has the frame for it but he also possesses edge athleticism. Crawford is high on Mississippi State with other offers from the likes of Missouri, Kentucky and Cincinnati.