Wednesday’s Dawg Biscuits: Updates on 2025 prospects Tyler Lockhart, Ferzell Shepard and Jayden Leverett

Step inside for the latest on several 2025 and 2026 prospects on Mississippi State’s radar in football and basketball along with team news:

First Biscuit – Starting the day with football and training camp, on Tuesday after practice we spoke with Mississippi State left tackle Makylan Pounders , who is easily one of the best interviews on the team. He noted that it’s a luxury to have guys like Albert Reese and Jacoby Jackson that can move around on the line and he said both have worked at guard and right tackle in camp. He also said it’s fun to see quarterback Blake Shapen use his legs when he has to but hopefully, he said Shapen won’t have to do that very much this season. At running back, Pounders spoke well of Davon Booth and Jeffery Pittman and said Booth will be a stud for State this year. He added that Pittman just runs angry on every play and that will be an advantage for them this year. Pounders also talked well of freshmen tackles Jimothy Lewis and Luke Work with their athleticism and said both have NFL potential. On the other side of the ball, the guys on the defensive front that give Pounders the most trouble include defensive linemen Trevion Williams and Kai McClendon along with jack linebacker Ty Cooper.

Second Biscuit – Moving to basketball recruiting for a minute, on Tuesday I talked with a source close with 2025 center and On3 three-star prospect Jayden Leverett of Chapin (Texas) High School, a name we haven’t discussed much during this recruiting cycle. Leverett is expected to officially visit Mississippi State in late September and he is looking to take several other official visits this fall, including Oklahoma State, New Mexico and Colorado. Per a source, other programs have been on Leverett longer but Mississippi State is taking a shot to see if there is much traction with Leverett. Mississippi State currently has one center committed in the Class of 2025 with On3 three-star prospect Chol Machot, who enrolled at Florida Southwestern College back in January.

Third Biscuit – Moving to football recruiting, on Tuesday I talked with 2025 Mississippi State commitment and On3 three-star receiver Ferzell Shepard of Scotlandville (La.) Magnet. He missed the first couple of weeks of preseason preparations due to a hyperextended knee but said he would be returning to practice later this week. As he did last year, Shepard said he will be playing receiver, defensive back and special teams this season. Shephard noted that he will be back at Davis Wade Stadium a few times this fall and added that he is eager to see Jeff Lebby’s offense in person. He mentioned that his goal at State is to eventually become the No. 1 receiver option and he believes Lebby and receivers coach Chad Bumphis can help him reach that goal. When he chose State in June, Shepard also held Power 4 offers from Baylor, Arkansas and Texas Tech among others. But since that commitment he said things have gone quiet with other teams.

Fourth Biscuit – On Tuesday, I did more checking on 2025 linebacker and On3 four-star prospect Tyler Lockhart of Winona High School. His situation is still the same as it was last month and that includes Auburn making a hard push to get Lockhart back in the Tigers’ recruiting class. Lockhart recently told me that he decommitted from Auburn in June because it was the best thing for him and his family, and he said his final decision would be based on what’s best for him and his mom. I still believe Lockhart’s situation with Auburn bears watching until the start of his senior season, as well. Should Lockhart remain uncommitted by that point and the longer it goes, the better I feel about State’s chances with Lockhart. Some mentioned Alabama’s pursuit of Lockhart earlier this week and I also checked with my Alabama sources on that situation. Per those sources, Alabama is expected to take just one more linebacker in the 2025 class and the top remaining target there for Alabama is On3 four-star Ty Jackson.

Fifth Biscuit – Also on Tuesday, I exchanged messages with 2026 receiver and On3 four-star prospect O’Mari Johnson of Wesson High School, who began preseason practice earlier this week and is once again holding duties on both sides of the ball. Johnson continues to talk up his relationships with Mississippi State’s staff, particularly with head coach Jeff Lebby and receivers coach Chad Bumphis. Along with Mississippi State, Johnson also has LSU, Tennessee and Missouri among his top favorites at this point, and he plans to see several SEC teams in action this fall. While Johnson has not decided on any kind of decision timeframe, Mississippi State is trending well with him and as expected, the Bulldogs are hoping to get him in the class sooner than later.

And for the gravy on top – And lastly today, you read above what left tackle Makylan Pounders have to say about freshman defensive lineman Kai McClendon , who enrolled at State in January. Pounders expanded on that and said McClendon is a guy that people will want to know more about. Pounders added that McClendon is having a good camp so far and is making his mark on the depth chart, as well. Along with Pounders, I’ve had several other players and a couple of State staffers say the same about McClendon. And most expect him to play as a true freshman and not redshirt this season.

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