The future is now in Starkville.

After Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the Florida loss, Mississippi State handed the ball to prized recruit Michael Van Buren Jr. He’ll have a shot over the next seven games to padlock the QB job for the next three years.

However, the Bulldogs’ best true freshman of September doesn’t throw passes… he catches them. And he makes plays on special teams. No one recruits, develops, and turns loose young stars better than the SEC. Here are each league team’s top rookie of the opening month.

Electrifying Georgia game stamped Williams as the favorite for the 2024 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

Punishing runner has rushed for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Mega-recruit has made nine catches for 212 yards and a TD while dealing with a shoulder injury.

Sure, it was against Samford, but Lagway’s lone start sent a clear signal of his seismic potential.

Five-star Bolden has played 170 snaps and is already a key member of the DB rotation.

In spot duty, Nichols is laying the groundwork with a couple of pass breakups.

Durham has risen to the top of the depth chart in Baton Rouge with 374 yards from scrimmage and five total TDs.

Craver has already paid dividends on offense and special teams for the Bulldogs. The speedy four-star recruit has nine receptions for 238 yards and two TDs, adding a score on a blocked punt fumble recovery.

It’ll be fun watching the chemistry develop between the two rookies, Craver and MVB at quarterback.

Dallas native ranks fourth on Mizzou with 69 yards on 11 carries.

Sooner gem has already logged 150 tackles and seven stops in the first four games.

The future is bright for Echoles who has flashed off the bench in run defense.

Stewart has quickly emerged as one of the nation’s most explosive and disruptive young edge rushers.

Early blowouts gave future stars, like Carter, a chance to log valuable reps.

Simmons has been a beast off the edge, bagging a team-high four sacks and earning a wicked PFF pass rush grade of 90.2.

Reed has filled in exceptionally well for injured Conner Weigman, accounting for eight TDs without a pick.

Seabrooks has earned quality minutes off the bench, making 11 tackles and his first career pick.

SEC Football Offensive Players of the Month: Who Represents Mississippi State?

SEC Football Defensive Players of the Month: Who Represents Mississippi State?

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State football and Tennessee Titans’ Jeffery Simmons each have a similar goal for this week: get healthy.

Simmons is recovering for a torn ligament in his left elbow and Mississippi State’s list of injured players is filled with key players hoping the extra week gets them back on the field.

Safety Isaac Smith missed last week’s game against Texas, but is third in the nation in total tackles. He’s one of the most impactful players listed on last week’s availability report (outside of quarterback Blake Shapen, of course).

But other names such as  Chris Keys Jr. (safety), Kalvin Dinkins (defensive line), Kedrick Bingley-Jones (defensive line), Traveon Wright (cornerback) and DeAgo Brumfield (cornerback) all missed last week’s game.

One of the goals for Mississippi State this is week is to do just that.

“Getting our legs back being fresh and being fast next Saturday in Athens is going to be absolutely critical,” Lebby said.

Redshirt freshman Trevion Williams echoed that sentiment during his Wednesday media session.

“Just get our bodies back right,” he said when asked about goals for the by week.

One name that will most likely still miss time after the bye week is running back Keyvone Lee, who Lebby said will miss a significant amount of time after an injury earlier this season.

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SEC Football Defensive Players of the Month: Who Represents Mississippi State?

Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons says a new power plant being built in Washington County could be a boon to the local economy.

For the first time in 50 years, Entergy Mississippi is building a new natural gas power station. The facility will be the first combined-cycle combustion turbine power station the company has built from the ground up.

“It is a great day to witness the profound significance and impact of the $1.2 billion new Entergy plan for Greenville, Washington County, and the Mississippi Delta,” Simmons told the Clarion Ledger. “This initiative is a transformative project that promises to bring significant economic growth, improved infrastructure, and enhanced energy reliability to the region. For Greenville, the plan means a boost in job creation, particularly in the construction and energy sectors, which could lead to increased employment opportunities for local residents.”

The combined-cycle combustion turbine facility is a dual-fuel technology. While natural gas is the primary resource, the advanced facility will be designed to support blended hydrogen to produce reliable energy, according to Entergy.

When completed in 2028, this will be the fourth natural gas power station built by Entergy in the last two decades, following Attala Plant in Sallis (2006), Hinds Energy Facility in Jackson (2012) and Choctaw Energy Facility in French Camp (2019).

“As our customers’ needs and environmental factors evolve, so must our fleet. We’re investing in cleaner, more efficient power generation now, to help us keep bills lower for customers than they otherwise would be in the future,” Entergy president and CEO Haley Fisackerly said in a statement.

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Simmons said the Entergy plan represents a major step forward in modernizing the energy grid in the Mississippi Delta, ensuring that residents and businesses have access to more reliable and sustainable energy.

“As an advocate for investments that uplift underserved and rural communities, I see this project as a key driver in bridging the development gap in the region,” Simmons said. “The plan aligns with the city’s long-standing efforts to promote economic revitalization, infrastructure improvement, and environmental sustainability, not only in Greenville but across the Delta. This partnership with Entergy showcases Greenville as a forward-thinking city, ready to embrace modern solutions for growth while addressing the needs of its citizens and businesses alike.”

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Eventually, the company will retire the Gerald Andrus Steam Electric Station, which is currently located in Greenville. By replacing older power plants with more advanced and efficient technology, Entergy Mississippi says it is producing more electricity from the same amount of fuel while reducing carbon emissions.

Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.