Former Mississippi State S Janari Dean Commits to Southern Miss

Former Mississippi State safety Janari Dean announced via Twitter on Tuesday that he would be joining the Southern Miss football program as a running back.

The redshirt freshman from Batesville revealed his decision only one day after declaring that he would be entering the transfer portal. Dean showed promise as a young safety and accounted for three tackles during his limited playing time in the 2021 season. Ultimately, playing on the defensive side of the ball was not what he wanted. Dean likely knew that his odds of playing as a running back on offense were slim in Mike Leach's Air Raid offense, and he made the decision that seemed right for him while staying in his home state.

Dean is no stranger to either position: he saw playing time on both sides of the ball during his time with the South Panola High School Tigers. As a running back, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound athlete carried for a total of 3,629 yards and 33 touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons. He also added 86 yards on four receptions and was 1-1 passing with one touchdown. Dean led his 12-2 Tigers to the Mississippi High School Athletic Association playoffs as a senior and participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.

Unsurprisingly, Dean was one of the most sought-after Mississippi prospects in the class of 2019. He was ranked in the Top-20 by three major groups-- 247Sports (No. 10), ESPN (No. 15) and Rivals (No. 17)-- and was widely considered a Top-40 safety nationally. The three-star prospect received offers from many schools, including Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Arkansas, Southern Miss and South Carolina, among others.

Now, Dean will be taking his talents farther south in hopes of pursuing a football career in which he feels like he belongs. He will undoubtably be a force that should reap the benefits of his decision for years to come.

After careful consideration, I have decided to stay in my home state to continue my athletic and academic career at The University of Southern Mississippi! 🙏🖤💛🦅 #SMTTT #AIE pic.twitter.com/lxsnQQPWRH
— Janari Dean (@JanariDean400) December 14, 2021