Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State Emerging as Top Contender for 2027 Cornerback Recruit

Mississippi State is firmly in the mix for 2027 CB Dre Otey, who lists the Bulldogs among his top three schools ahead of summer visits.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State Bulldogs mascot Bully makes his way down the Dawg Walk prior to the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State Bulldogs mascot Bully makes his way down the Dawg Walk prior to the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

In this story:

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State’s secondary help has largely come from the transfer portal, but that may not be the case for much longer.

On Friday, 2027 cornerback Dre Otey said the Bulldogs are one of the three programs standing out the most in his recruitment, putting Mississippi State firmly in the mix as he heads toward a summer decision.

“Right now the schools standing out would be Mississippi State, Virginia Tech and Purdue,” Otey told Maroon and White Daily. “Those are the main three for right now.”

For a program that had to patch together its defensive backfield around superstar Kelley Jones through transfers this past offseason, that’s the kind of development you circle.

The portal can fix problems, but it’s not supposed to be the only plan. Landing players like Otey is how you keep the secondary from becoming an annual scramble.

Otey’s rise has been steady. The Riverdale (Tenn.) standout improved across the board last season and showed he could move around the secondary, but he’s spending this offseason focused on adding weight and preparing for the jump to the next level. College coaches have noticed. He already has official visits locked in with Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, and Purdue, and he’s working on adding more.

“Right now I have official visits set for Mississippi State, Virginia Tech and Purdue,” he said. “But I am also working to set up official visits to Maryland, Louisville and Kentucky.”

Mississippi State has already made an impression. Otey was in Starkville last fall for the Arizona State game, the wild, last-minute win against a team ranked No. 12 at the time, and he experienced it alongside 2027 Mississippi State commit and teammate Hudson Fuqua.

“I was at Mississippi State for the Arizona State game and it was a crazy experience,” Otey said. “I’ve also been talking to Hudson about Mississippi State. He likes them a lot and said they are still on him hard. I was actually with him for that Arizona State game. So we got to experience it together. They’ve been showing him a lot of love and they’ve showed me a lot of love since they offered me.

“I mainly talk to Coach (Corey) Bell and Coach Courtney Williams. They’ve been encouraging me and are ready to see me on my visits. They want me to keep coming back for visits.”

Otey plans to make his decision this summer after taking his officials. If Mississippi State can close the deal, it would be more than just a recruiting win. It would be a sign that the Bulldogs are starting to build real depth at a spot that’s been too dependent on short‑term fixes.

The portal can help you survive. Recruits like Otey help you stop surviving and start building.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

Home/Football