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With offers from nearly every SEC school, Florence (AL) High School product Beniquez Brown decided to head to Starkville to continue his football career after his days at the prep level concluded. After sitting out a season as a redshirt in 2012, the linebacker will have the opportunity to produce in 2013 for Mississippi State.
Currently listed as the back up to senior Deontae Skinner, the Bulldogs will allow the 6-1, 225 pound, red-shirt freshman to see plenty of playing time in 2013. When he sees the field, he will be expected to match the production of a player that started every game for Mississippi State in the 2012 season. He can also expect to be a target of defenses early in the season as they test him on the gridiron.
In all, Skinner recorded 62 tackles in 2012, far fewer than Cam Lawrence or Benardrick McKinney. Whether that happened because of scheme or talent, Skinner will be expected to improve those numbers a bit, and should he look to be unable to do so, look for Brown to find even more playing time. Could Brown improve on those numbers? Will the MSU staff be interested in trying to find out?
The 2013 season will be a big one for Brown. Not only will he be playing for the 2013 season, he will be playing for the 2014 season as well as he looks like a natural move up the depth chart after Skinner's playing days come to a close. How will the redshirt freshman handle the challenge? Time will tell.