Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State get 4-star safety Kennedy Green back
· Yahoo Sports
Kennedy Green‘s recruitment came full circle.
The four-star safety from Douglasville (Ga.) Douglas County has committed to Mississippi State, returning to the school he originally pledged to before reopening his recruitment last year.
Visit playerbros.org for more information.
Green explored his options throughout the spring, taking official visits and seriously considering North Carolina, Purdue and South Carolina, but after evaluating every opportunity, he found himself right back where he started.
“Once I was able to take all my official visits and talk everything over with my family, it was kind of an easy decision,” Green told Rivals. “North Carolina came hard. South Carolina was still there, and Coach Gray’ track record speaks for itself, but I feel like my heart has been at Mississippi State ever since I committed.
“Even after I decommitted, I still felt like it was a place where I could play and where I wanted to be.”
[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]
Mississippi State never backed away after Green decommitted. Instead, Jeff Lebby and his staff continued recruiting one of Georgia’s top defensive backs as aggressively as they had before his original pledge.
That consistency ultimately won out.
“The first thing about why I am back with State is Coach Lebby believing in me. He feels like I can come to Mississippi State and do some great things. Then Coach Arnett came back, and when he was at Mississippi State before, his whole defensive backfield went to the NFL. I’m a fan of history repeating itself, so that’s somebody I’d definitely love to play under.”
Lebby’s approach throughout the process left perhaps the biggest impression.
“Coach Lebby has been very genuine from the start,” Green said. “When I committed, he loved it. When I decommitted, he respected my decision. He told me, ‘I’m still going to recruit you. I still want you to come take your official visit, and I still want to make this happen.’ From that day to this one, Coach Lebby has kept his word the whole time. Who he is had an impact on my decision.”
Green is excited to be a Bulldog
Green visited Starkville roughly 10 times during his recruitment, more than any other school. Every trip reinforced why Mississippi State continued to feel like home.
“From the players to the fans, it’s all about Mississippi State in Starkville. The players walk around like celebrities. The fans love them, and they show up on game day with their cowbells. The players are together as one. You never see one without the other, and they have a really strong bond. I definitely love that about Starkville.”
When it came time to make his final decision, Green said one person ultimately separated Mississippi State from the rest of the field.
“I’d say it was Coach Lebby,” he said. “He sets the example for the whole program. Everything flows from the head coach down. You get the same feeling from Coach Lebby that you get from every other coach on the staff. It’s just a family there.”
With his recruitment now behind him, Green is ready to shift his focus back to football.
“It feels like a weight has been lifted,” he said. “You’re trying to figure out who’s real and who’s fake throughout the recruiting process. I feel like I put my trust in the right group and the right program. Now I can put my head down, grind and try to win a state championship.”