Mississippi State Football: Compiling the All-Time Bulldogs Team

1st Team: Billy Jackson

Billy Jackson has some unreal numbers from his playing time at Mississippi State. He was All SEC for three straight years from 1981 through 1983. He was also an All American in 1981. During his four years, Jackson racked up 49 sacks, which is 12 a year.

Somehow or another, Jackson never played in the NFL. I’d love to know the reason if anyone can tell me why. Was it a size issue? The numbers are just staggering and it appears he never had a chance to make an NFL roster.

2nd Team: Preston Smith

Preston Smith is another member of one of the most successful recruiting classes in Mississippi State history. The 2011 class was ranked lower than all but one class Dan Mullen has signed.

Close to the bottom of that class was Preston Smith. Smith was yet another two star prospect, and he didn’t attract much attention when he signed with the Bulldogs.

He did attract a lot of attention from offensive coordinators though once he took the field. Smith had good years for the Bulldogs his Sophomore and Junior seasons, and contemplated an early leap to the NFL. Most thought he would be a late round pick after his Junior season.

Preston Smith decided to come back for his Senior year, and he capitalized. Smith had 7 sacks before 2014. He increased his career number to 16 with 9 more sacks in 2014 and even intercepted two passes as well. Preston Smith was named the Defensive Lineman of the week in the SEC the first three weeks of 2014. All of his hard work paid off as he was drafted in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.

Not bad for a 2 star afterthought.

1st Team: Tyrone Keys

Tyrone Keys is second all time at Mississippi State with 26 sacks. Keys was a Bulldog from 1977 until 1980 and played an instrumental role in the famous take down of Alabama in 1980. Keys also went on to play in the NFL and was a member of the Super Bowl Champions Bears team in 1985.

2nd Team: Pernell McPhee

McPhee, who played for the Bulldogs in 2009 and 2010, helped anchor a Bulldog defense that was one of the better units in the SEC in 2010 under Manny Diaz in his first stint as Bulldogs defensive coordinator.

McPhee tallied 91-tackles and seven sacks while in Starkville and can be credited with helping turn the Bulldog football program around and helping make State what it is today.