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The 2018 Mississippi State football season is almost here, as the Bulldogs host Stephen F. Austin Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday. Let's take a look at the Bulldogs senior cornerback, #2 Jamal Peters.
Peters is a big, athletically gifted player from Bassfield, Miss. and played at Bassfield High School, where he was a four-star blue-chip defensive back prospect. He was the No. 1 prospect in the state of Mississippi for 2015 and was ranked as the 40th overall player in the nation and the second-best safety in the nation by ESPN.com.
During his senior campaign at Bassfield High School, Peters accumulated 60 tackles, 13 pass deflections, five interceptions, 4.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble.
He was also a talented offensive weapon for the Yellowjackets, as he caught 28 passes for 581 yards and six touchdowns. He led the Yellowjackets to a third-straight Class 2A state championship as a senior and rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown in the title game to go with five tackles and a half sack on the defensive side.
He was chosen to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic, where he totaled seven tackles and one tackle for loss. He was also selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
For his dominance, Peters was named to the Mississippi Association of Coaches Class 2A All-State Team, the American Family Insurance All-USA Mississippi Football Team, and the MaxPreps Small Schools All-American Football Team.
He committed MSU in July 2014 and signed his letter of intent to play with the Bulldogs on Feb. 4, 2015.
Standing at 6-foot-2, 220-pounds, Peters is a big corner for the Bulldogs who can match up with any receiver in the Southeastern Conference.
Peters played played his 2015 true freshman year at safety, playing in 12 games with two starts. He had 25 tackles (12 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two pass breakups on the year.
In 2016, he made 12 starts and made the switch to corner during the season with the Bulldogs becoming thin at the corner position due to injuries. He started two games at corner as a sophomore and was second on the team in interceptions with two and finished the year with 18 tackles.
One of those interceptions on the year was a crucial pick in the back of the endzone in the second quarter of the Egg Bowl, as the Bulldogs topped the Rebels 55-20.
He played in 12 games with three starts at cornerback a year ago and contributed to the Bulldog secondary with 23 tackles and one interception, which was a 93-yard interception return touchdown against No. 24 Texas A&M (10/28). He also recorded the first fumble recovery of his career on the year.
Following the 2017 season, Peters contemplated entering the National Football League draft, but ultimately decided to return to the Bulldogs for 2018. He should play a key role in an experienced Bulldog secondary this year.