Anthony Evans III set a clear target before the 2023 season began: he wanted to break Mississippi State’s single-season receiving yards record. Five games in, the senior wide receiver is not just on track—he is on course to shatter it.
Evans, who transferred from Georgia and posted 831 receiving yards last season, currently sits at 574 yards through five games, averaging 114.8 yards per game. That pace puts him on track for 1,492 yards in a 13-game season, well beyond the 1,055 yards he needs to break Brenen Thompson’s record from last year. Thompson was only the fourth Bulldog to top 1,000 yards in a season and was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2026, the first MSU wide receiver taken since Eric Moulds in 1996.
Wide receiver Sanfrisco Magee described Evans’ work ethic during the offseason and current campaign. “Ant has been working hard,” Magee said. “During the summer and runs, we were just pushing each other to try to make it go. Before the season, him and Kelley [Jones] were talking and he was like, ‘I got to break this record.’ I was like, ‘He most definitely is going to break it.’ He’s on pace to right now.”
Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby credited Evans’ maturity and consistency off the field for his performance. “He’s created consistency in his life, and he’s created consistency inside the building that, to me, has given him an opportunity to do what he’s doing,” Lebby said. “It’s a long year with a lot of ball ahead. We’re going to need his production in a great, great way week-in and week-out. But to me, it’s just his maturity and who he’s become when he’s not in the building. That’s what’s given him a chance to have the success that he’s having.”
Evans is also chasing the program record for receiving touchdowns. He and Magee are both on pace for 13 touchdowns, which would exceed the current record of 12 held by Chad Bumphis and Fred Ross. Evans has caught 40 passes so far, which projects to 104 receptions this season—just one shy of Makai Polk’s 2021 mark.
Despite leading the SEC in receiving yards per game and receptions per game, Evans ranks third in total receiving yards and total receptions in the conference. Missouri’s Donovan Olugbode has six receiving touchdowns, one more than Evans.
The SEC single-season record remains out of reach for now. It belongs to DeVonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner, who posted 1,856 yards in a season.
Nationally, Evans trails Oregon State’s Jesse Legree and Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, the only two receivers in the country with more than 800 yards. Legree leads with 932 yards, while Smith has 916. Both are averaging more than 150 yards per game. Other players ahead of Evans in yards per game include Rutgers’ KJ Duff, Miami’s Malachi Toney, Wake Forest’s Carlos Hernandez, and Arizona State’s Reed Harris.
Mississippi State, ranked No. 19 with a 4-1 record overall and 2-1 in the SEC, prepares to face No. 21 LSU (4-2, 1-2) on October 17 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. Evans will be a key figure in that matchup as he continues to chase records and national recognition.
According to Yahoo Sports.
