SEC Weekly Recruiting Roundup: MSU Gets 8 Commitments in One Week

Every Wednesday here at The SEC Blog, we will update you on the latest commits, news and rumors in the recruiting world.

B.J. Hammond got Mississippi State's stellar recruiting week started by pledging to play for Dan Mullen's Bulldogs. At 6'4" and 210 pounds, Hammond has a tall frame and can be a tremendous asset in Mullen's offense once he arrives in Starkville.

The hot streak continued over the weekend, with 6'4", 295-pound offensive tackle Kent Flowers. The Hollandale, Miss., native is the eighth-ranked player in the state of Mississippi, according to 247Sports.com. He chose the Bulldogs over an offer from Ole Miss. 

Also joining Dan Mullen's team will be 6'4", 305-pound offensive tackle Deon Mix. The Batesville, Miss., native is rated as a 3-star prospect by 247Sports.com, and is the ninth-best recruit in the state of Mississippi in the Class of 2013.

The fourth player to to commit to Mississippi State in the past week is Chris Jones, a 6'5", 255-pound defensive end from Houston, Miss. Jones is a relative unknown that recently impressed scouts at camps this spring.

Dan Mullen stayed hot over the weekend, with the commitment of dual-threat signal-caller Cord Sandberg. Sandberg is a 3-star prospect, according to 247Sports.com, and is ranked as the nation's No. 12 dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2013.

And it didn't stop there. Sandberg got a weapon to throw to on Tuesday, when 6'3", 210-pound wide receiver DeAndre Woods from Pinson, Ala., committed to the Bulldogs. Woods has the size to step in and play immediately. He can be a big-time weapon for the Bulldogs.

The biggest commitment of the week for the Bulldogs was from 4-star running back Kalio Moore. Moore is a 5'10", 190-pound speedster that has been clocked with a 4.27 40-yard dash time. He's the No. 2 prospect in the state of Mississippi, according to 247Sports.com.

Finishing off Mississippi State's stellar week was 6'0", 170-pound cornerback Gabe Myles. Myles is a local product from Starkville who also plays quarterback. With 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, Myles is sure to be a force in the Bulldog defense for years to come.

Auburn had a late commitment surge this week, getting a pledge from 4-star defensive end Tashawn Bower from Somerville, N.J. Bower joins a stellar Auburn defensive line class that includes Carl Lawson and Dee Liner.

Joining Bower on the Plains will be safety Lemond Johnson. Johnson is a 6'1", 190-pound athlete that possesses 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash. According to Jeffery Lee of AuburnSports.com, Johnson will enroll at Auburn in January 2013.

Alabama also got its second commitment from a pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2013, when 3-star prospect Parker McLeod from Walton High School in Marietta, Ga., committed to the Tide. McLeod will join fellow pro-style quarterback Cooper Bateman in Tuscaloosa.

Current quarterback A.J. McCarron got some immediate help with the commitment of 6'6", 310-pound offensive tackle Leon Brown. Brown is a junior college transfer from ASA College in Brooklyn, N.Y. He will have two years of eligibility remaining when he arrives on campus.

Joining McLeod and Brown in Tuscaloosa will be 5'11", 178-pound cornerback Maurice Smith. Smith is a 4-star prospect from Sugar Land, Texas, according to 247Sports.com. He chose the Tide over offers from several SEC schools, including Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.

LSU got its second commitment from a pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2013, when 6'2", 200-pound signal-caller Anthony Jennings from Marietta, Ga., pledged to play football in Baton Rouge. Jennings joins fellow pro-style quarterback Hayden Rettig in LSU's class.

Tennessee got a boost to its receiving corps when 3-star wide receiver Josh Smith committed to play for the Vols. Smith is a local product from Knoxville. At 6'1", 183 pounds, Smith has the size to out-jump opposing defensive backs and could grow into his frame and become a solid possession receiver.

Arkansas head coach John L. Smith got some good news this week when 6'1", 205-pound safety Khari Harding committed to the Razorbacks. The Edmond, Okla., native chose the Hogs over offers from several FBS schools, including Arkansas State, Indiana, Kansas State and Oregon State.

Joining Harding in Fayetteville the following year will be dual-threat quarterback Rafe Peavey from Bolivar, Mo. Peavey's commitment is the first for the Hogs in the Class of 2014.

Georgia bolstered its defensive line class with the commitment of Naim Mustafaa, a 6'4", 235-pound defensive end from Alpharetta, Ga. Mustafaa is ranked No. 13 in 247Sports.com's list of the top strong-side defensive ends in the country.

The South Carolina Gamecocks got good news for their offensive line this weekend, when Tyrone, Ga. (Sandy Creek HS), offensive guard Alan Knott pledged to join head coach Steve Spurrier in Columbia. Knott is a 3-star prospect, according to 247Sports.com, and he chose the Gamecocks over offers from several schools, including Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Miami (Fla.).

Kentucky got a commitment from its quarterback of the future this week when 6'3", 215-pound pro-style quarterback Reese Phillips committed to play for the Wildcats. The native of Signal Mountain, Tenn., is rated as a 3-star prospect by 247Sports.com. He chose Kentucky over offers from Memphis and Middle Tennessee State.

Texas A&M jumped Texas in 247Sports.com's national rankings with the commitment of 6'1", 247-pound linebacker Reggie Chevis. The Houston-native will make a solid inside linebacker for the Aggies, who switched from the 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme this spring.

News and Rumors

Georgia commitment running back Derrick Henry, the nation's No. 1 athlete, visited Alabama last weekend. The Yulee, Fla., native was spotted wearing an Alabama jersey, writes Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani.

If Henry flips to Alabama, fellow running back Tyren Jones won't be caught up in the domino effect, writes Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Follow @BarrettSallee