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When Auburn steps into Davis Wade Stadium next Saturday, it will encounter two freshmen it heavily pursued wearing Mississippi State's maroon and white. One had been committed to the Tigers for most of last fall, while the other had scheduled an official visit to Jordan-Hare Stadium before ultimately sticking with his pledge to the Bulldogs. By the time Auburn arrives, both could be thrust into much larger roles than anyone in Starkville anticipated back in August.
Mississippi State entered Saturday's homecoming matchup against Vanderbilt with a 4-4 record, still having to face Auburn, FCS Tennessee Tech, and the Egg Bowl at Ole Miss. A bowl berth remains within reach, but the injury report continues to lengthen each week. Quarterback Kamario Taylor is sidelined for the season following foot surgery, and the Bulldogs ruled out safety Isaac Smith, linebackers Jalen Smith and Derion Gullette, and defensive linemen Diesel Moye and Trevion Williams for the Vanderbilt game.
Coach Jeff Lebby has patched holes with transfers throughout the year, but the next wave of reinforcements may come from players who were still in high school last winter.
Bralan Womack Steps into the Spotlight
Womack arrived as the crown jewel of Lebby's recruiting efforts. The 247Sports Composite ranked the Hartfield Academy product as the No. 1 safety in the 2026 class, and ESPN's No. 39 overall ranking made him the highest-rated signee of Mississippi State's ESPN recruiting era. He flipped from Auburn on Dec. 1, 2025, one day after the Tigers hired Alex Golesh, and he made the decision sound personal at his signing ceremony.
"I'm playing for my home state," Womack said.
Through eight games, the true freshman has recorded 18 tackles and a pass breakup while serving as the backup at strong safety. With Smith sidelined, Mississippi State needs someone to absorb safety snaps, and few players on the roster possess Womack's ball skills. He intercepted eight passes as a junior and helped Hartfield win back-to-back Class 6A state titles. Seeing Auburn on the schedule next week only adds a little extra motivation to the assignment.
Kaleb Morris Could Bolster a Thinning Defensive Front
Morris is the one Auburn couldn't pry loose. The Semmes, Alabama, native committed to Mississippi State on May 31, 2025, and held firm while the Tigers continued recruiting him and arranged an official visit for their Kentucky game that November. His explanation at the time was straightforward.
"It felt like home," Morris said. "It was about the connection I had with the players, too. The coaches and players felt like family."
Morris was listed at 250 pounds as a recruit and now checks in at 6-4 and 285, a sign the strength staff has kept him busy since his arrival. He sits third on the depth chart at nose tackle and has appeared in one game through September. Moye and Williams have been out for the season since September, which changes the picture in a hurry. The interior rotation is without two regulars, and a freshman with Morris' frame is the logical next man up.
Camden Capehart Brings the Speed Mississippi State Lacks
Capehart is the fastest kind of problem a defense can have. The 5-8, 180-pound receiver from Winnsboro, Texas, won three Class 3A state titles in the 100-meter dash and ran a 10.14 as a high school junior. He also caught 129 passes for 3,237 yards and 55 touchdowns in three seasons as a starter, and Florida State offered him even after he committed to the Bulldogs.
His first college touchdown came against Oklahoma, an 18-yard catch in the third quarter that put Mississippi State on the board, and he added a 14-yard run in the same game. Across his three college touches, Capehart is averaging 12.7 yards. Mississippi State scored two offensive touchdowns in the two games before Vanderbilt, and Capehart caught one of them. An offense starving for big plays has a freshman who keeps producing them, and the final three games are the time to find out how many more he has in him.
None of these three were supposed to carry this much weight in November. Womack made it clear on signing day that he came to Starkville expecting to carry it.
"I want to leave a blueprint in this state," Womack said.