Mississippi State Players in the NFL: NFC North

Oct 19, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) is unable to catch a pass as Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay (23) defends during the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Darius Slay
Detroit Lions

Big Play Slay as they call him has quickly made a mark on the Lions’ secondary. He’s such a moster on the corner, the opportunities he gets to show off will start to diminish because teams simply won’t throw the ball in his direction.

Slay went from the other cornerback opposite Johnthan Banks in 2012, to a star in his own right. Banks deserved a lot of attention, but Slay was just as capable, if not more so, of shutting down receivers as Banks was.

NFL scouts noticed as well. Slay ended up being the top player from Mississippi State taken in the 2013 NFL Draft.

He had a solid rookie season, but Slay made a name for himself in his second season this past year. He had his first two interceptions, and many thought he would be going to Hawaii.

If Slay is able to continue the improvement he had from year 1 to year 2, expect big things from Big Play Slay.