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In a 31-0 defeat to LSU on Saturday, Mississippi State's defense provided a few bright spots for coach Jeff Lebby, even as the offense, without quarterback Kamario Taylor and running back Fluff Bothwell, left him with pressing concerns. The No. 16 Bulldogs were shut out by the No. 22 Tigers and failed to convert any of their five fourth-down attempts.
Here are three players whose stock is rising and three whose stock is falling after Week 7.
Rising: Jett Jefferson, Cornerback
Jefferson paced Mississippi State with eight tackles and forced and recovered a fumble, delivering the kind of performance that keeps a defense competitive when the offense stalls. The former East Central Community College standout missed most of last season due to injury, making his full-snap outing against an SEC passing attack a notable development. Lebby took notice. "He's continued to get better and better," Lebby said in his postgame press conference. "A guy that has created a ton of trust to go play every single snap. So proud of him and what he's doing, and gonna need that to continue."
Rising: Marcus Williams, Safety
Williams recorded five tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. The sixth-year Rice transfer notched the first sack of his career against Missouri and added another against LSU. Williams has started every game this season and is becoming a safety Mississippi State can send after the quarterback without compromising the back end. He also contributed to a run defense that limited LSU to 90 rushing yards on 31 carries, under 3 yards per attempt. Few veterans have provided steadier play for this defense.
Rising: J.J. Hill, Running Back
Hill carried five times for 23 yards, about 4.6 yards per carry, as Mississippi State out-rushed LSU 170-90 without its leading back. The first-year player from Tupelo was a two-time 7A Mr. Football in Mississippi, and the flashes are beginning to show. Lebby made it clear that more work is coming if Hill earns it. "We're gonna need JJ to have a really good week of practice. That's the biggest thing," Lebby said. "He does some great things, but man, it's really hard to play in our system if I'm subbing guys in nonstop situationally. We've gotta create some trust, I love where he's going."
Falling: Parker "Billy" Puckett, Quarterback
Puckett deserves patience. The first-year walk-on made his first career start in Death Valley and completed 16 of 26 passes for 121 yards with an interception. Still, Mississippi State came up empty on four consecutive fourth-down tries, including a fourth-and-goal from the LSU 6 just before halftime. Lebby praised his toughness and took some of the blame. "I thought he responded the right way. There's gonna be a ton of things we want back," Lebby said. "We've gotta do a better job helping around him early on in the game, but for his first start, first time really playing meaningful reps, his toughness, I love."
Falling: Anthony Evans III, Wide Receiver
Evans caught seven passes, but they went for only 40 yards, an average of about 5.7 yards per catch. LSU kept everything in front of him, and a fourth-and-7 throw to him at the LSU 35 in the third quarter was broken up by Tigers cornerback PJ Woodland. Part of the blame belongs to a shorthanded offense that could not stretch the field. Still, Mississippi State needs its top receiver to create explosive plays in games like this one, and he could not find them.
Falling: Kamario Taylor, Quarterback (availability)
Taylor did not play, so the falling tag is about his availability, not his performance. Lebby's update made it clear the starter is not out of the woods. "He's not gonna wake up tomorrow and be 100%. We're gonna manage it," Lebby said. Lebby also explained why Taylor sat after pushing to return during the week. "He's just not ready to play. Need to have a great week this week, and he will, to give himself a chance to play next Saturday," Lebby said. "Proud of him and who he's been. Worked his butt off, just not quite there."
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Marvin Uzor covers for Mississippi State Bulldogs On SI and Colorado Buffaloes On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated Network. He has 8+ years of experience as a sports writer and editor, with work appearing on platforms like Yahoo Sports, The Grueling Truth, Last Word on Sports, Neutral Zone, and Frenetic Pace Sports. He has covered everything from college football and the NFL to the NBA, MLB, soccer, and the business of sports. Marvin also covered the 2026 FIFA World Cup for The Grueling Truth and has 3 years of experience working as a Senior Content Editor for ABC's Shark Tank. He is a longtime follower of college football and soccer who enjoys digging into the stories that make sports worth the time.
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