Mississippi State Football: Compiling the All-Time Bulldogs Team
1st Team: Mario Haggan
Linebacker has some of the same problems that defensive backs have. I don’t know which side of the field they played on, and I also don’t have a solid list of who played on the inside and who played on the outside. So I’m just going to put the top 6 in my opinion on the team and go from there.
Haggan played at Mississippi State from 1997-2000, and is the 8th leading tackler in school history with 359. He was named an All-American in 2000.
Joe Lee Dunn’s defenses during Haggan’s career were some of the best in MSU history, if not the best. Haggan was right there in the middle of the action as a starter in 1999 and 2000.
Mario went on to find success in the NFL where he played for the Bills, Broncos and Rams during a 10-year career.
2nd Team: Barrin Simpson
If Simpson had been bigger, he probably would have played in the NFL. Unfortunately, most NFL coaches don’t values guys who aren’t 6’0″ that much at linebacker.
Simpson was beast playing under Joe Lee Dunn. He racked up huge tackle numbers year after year, and it landed Simpson in the CFL where he played for 11 years. For someone who had the size limitations Barrin Simpson had, he had an amazing career.
Aug 15, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Benardrick McKinney (55) in action against the San Francisco 49ers in a preseason NFL football game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
1st Team: Johnnie Cooks
Johnie Cooks is one of the most special athletes to ever put on a Mississippi State uniform. The fact that his teams excelled so much gave him the nod as the top linebacker. He played from 1977-81 where he amassed 392 tackles – good for 5th all time.
He was a monster in maroon, especially during his junior and senior seasons when the Bulldogs managed back-to-back bowl games and a 17-7 combined record. He was there to anchor the 1980 defense when State beat #1 Alabama.
Cooks stands as the highest any MSU player has ever been drafted into the NFL when he was selected as the 2nd overall pick in 1982 by the Baltimore Colts. He had a successful pro career, playing 10 seasons and winning a Superbowl with the New York Giants.
2nd Team: Benardrick McKinney
McKinney will not go down as one of the best all time tacklers in the history of the school. His numbers are hampered because the defensive scheme Mullen and Collins used while McKinney was playing rotated players frequently.
He was still one the best players on the defensive side of the ball when he was on the field. McKinney was eventually drafted in the second round by the Houston Texans.
1st Team: DD Lewis
Lewis played at Mississippi State from 1965-1967. If freshman could have played in those days he would have been great for four years, because he was tremendous in the three years he did play.
In 1967 he was named an All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. No one was better than DD Lewis at the time. Unfortunately, MSU did not have any good teams during his time in maroon. The Bulldogs were just 7-23 in his three seasons.
Lewis has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. After he left State he played for the Dallas Cowboys, winning two Superbowls in his 14 years with the team.
2nd Team: Ray Costict
MSU’s all-time leading tackler is Ray Costict with 467 career stops. He played for the Bulldogs from 1973-76. He was an All-American as a senior.
During Costict’s career, State went 28-14-3 (although adjusted to 15-28-2 by the NCAA). He was the centerpiece to some solid defenses posting some incredibly consistent numbers with 156, 155 and 156 tackles in 1974, ’75 and ’76 respectively.
Ray went on to play in the NFL for three years with the New England Patriots.