Top 5 Running Backs in Mississippi State History

Number 3: Michael Haddix

If we went by where players were drafted, Mississippi State Running Back Michael Haddix would certainly be higher on this list. Michael Haddix played at Mississippi State from 1979 through 1982. Haddix was a 1st round NFL draft selection in 1983 by the Philadelphia Eagles. But this isn’t simply about where a player got drafted, so I can’t put him any higher than number three on this list.

Haddix is the fifth all time leading rusher for the Mississippi State Bulldogs with 2,558 yards rushing. His 6.0 yard per carry average is the highest among any player to ever wear the Maroon and White. Haddix both benefited and was hampered in the record book by Emory Bellard’s wish bone system. Haddix was a perfect fit for what Bellard wanted to do offensively, but with the wishbone offense, many of the carries that a running back would normally get in any other system will also go to the quarterback. There were a number of other players Haddix had to share the carries with in those years simply due to the nature of the wish bone system.

Despite the fact that Haddix didn’t put up just jaw dropping numbers, as mentioned earlier, the Philadelphia Eagles saw enough that they picked him early in the draft. He would play for both the Eagles and the Green Bay Packers until he retired after the 1990 NFL season.