Mississippi State lands four players on NFL top 100 list for fifth-straight year

Year in and year out, not many teams nationally have produced a higher percentage of standout players in the NFL than Mississippi State.

The NFL top 100 list bears it out and the list is covered by former Bulldogs yet again in 2024. For the eighth-straight season, MSU has multiple players on the list with this season marking the fifth-straight season of four or more players on the list.

Additionally, State was inside the top five among colleges with products on the list for the fourth time in the last five seasons. MSU’s four members were fourth behind Alabama (9), LSU and Oklahoma (6) and Iowa (5).

Chris Jones cementing himself as superstar in the NFL

Three of the four former Bulldogs made a move up the rankings from where they were a season ago and that includes Chris Jones setting a new high for a former State player on the list. After getting inside the top 10 last season at No. 10, Jones has risen up to No. 6 this season.

Jones earned his third Super Bowl ring of his career last season when he had another season of double-digit sacks with 10.5. That didn’t tell the story of just how much he affected the gameplan for other teams as he also had 39 quarterback pressures and 29 hits of the QB.

The Houston native is building a Hall of Fame resume as he already has the most sacks for a defensive tackle in Kansas City history and he has five-consecutive Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro marks. One of the highest paid defenders in the NFL, Jones has also tied Fletcher Cox with the most selections inside the top 100 now with six.

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott made a massive jump up the list this season as one of the top passers in the league last season was rewarded with the No. 16 mark by his peers. That selection is up 40 spots from a season ago when Prescott was 56^th and he has now been selected four times over his career.

Last season was arguably Prescott’s best as a Cowboy as he challenged Lamar Jackson for MVP honors when he threw for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns on 410 completions. Prescott is a three-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro and won the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2022. He’s also climbing up the all-time lists at Dallas with his 29.459 career passing yards, 202 touchdowns and 67% completion percentage.

As he heads into year six, Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons has already landed his fourth selection of the top 100. Simmons dropped 15 spots from last year but still sits steady on the list at No. 73.

After signing a massive deal to stay with the Titans heading into last season, Simmons dealt with injuries that would keep him out of action for a few games. He made the most of his time on the field, however, as Simmons managed to get 10.0 TFL and 5.5 sacks despite bringing on some extra attention upfront.

Like Jones, Simmons is a load for opposing defenses and is well-respected by his peers in the league. He has made the Pro Bowl twice during his career and is hoping to have a bounce back year under a new coaching staff.

Montez Sweat makes debut on the list

Making his debut on the list is Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat. A former teammate of Simmons, Sweat has found a new gear since he went to Chicago in the middle of the season last year. Amazingly, Sweat led both the Washington Commanders and the Bears in sacks last season as he became the first player in NFL history to earn that distinction.

The players in the league voted Sweat as No. 82 this season after he had 57 tackles with 12.5 sacks as he grabbed a Pro Bowl selection. It was a career-high in those statistical categories and he introduced himself as one of the best pass rushers in the league.

The season is one month away from kicking off as Jones and the Chiefs will put back-to-back Super Bowl championships on the line against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, September 5.