Mississippi State cornerback Martin Emerson opting out of Liberty Bowl before NFL Draft
MEMPHIS — In a move that comes as little surprise, Mississippi State football will be without its top defensive back against Texas Tech.
Cornerback Martin Emerson has opted out for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Tuesday (5:45 p.m., ESPN), coach Mike Leach said shortly after the Bulldogs arrived Saturday.
Emerson had announced his intentions to enter the 2022 NFL Draft earlier this month, but his statement didn’t address whether he would remain with Mississippi State (7-5) for one more game this season against the Red Raiders (6-6).
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Earlier this month, Leach said he didn’t know if Emerson planned to opt out. Left tackle Charles Cross, a projected top-10 pick, previously announced his plans to not play in the Liberty Bowl.
Opting out isn't up Leach's alley. He spoke earlier this month about his distaste for players departing early, saying players have "an obligation to the place that helped build and develop you and finish it out in the bowl. That’s part of it. You owe it to your team, you owe it to your fans, you owe it to your coaches and it’s the most bizarre thing in the world to me."
That leaves the Bulldogs with two major holes to fill in the 2021 season finale. Decamerion Richardson is expected to take much of Emerson’s workload in the Liberty Bowl. Nick Jones will replace Cross, Leach said, although Mississippi State is still testing different combinations along the line.
Richardson has played 228 snaps this season compared to Emerson's 737. Emerson was also Mississippi State's highest-ranked defensive player, according to Pro Football Focus.
Cross has played 988 snaps at left tackle, garnering first-team All-SEC honors. Jones has played 39 snaps in his Mississippi State career.
The Bulldogs added Percy Lewis during the early signing period, a 6-foot-8 left tackle, as well as cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson. The pair from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College both ranked highly among junior college options at their positions.
Adding four-star transfer cornerback Marcus Banks from Alabama also helps soften the blow of losing Cross and Emerson. But Mississippi State will need to navigate one more game this season without those potential immediate replacements on board.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State football: Martin Emerson opts out of Liberty Bowl
