Three former Mississippi State players are on active rosters for NFL teams in the playoffs.
Fletcher Cox is a stud defensive tackle with the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), who will host the Saints, Panthers or Falcons to kick off the divisional round of playoff games on Jan. 13. His play helped the Eagles to a first-round bye in the playoffs, which start this weekend.
Out of Yazoo City High School, Cox earned first-team All-SEC honors following his junior campaign in 2011. He set career highs with 56 tackles (26 solo), 14.5 tackles for los, and five sacks. He finished his college career with 114 tackles (53 solo), 24.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks in 36 games (27 starts). He also blocked five field goal attempts.
The Eagles selected the dominant defensive tackle with the 12th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He became a starter in the middle of his rookie year.
For the season, he has 26 tackles (15 solo, 11 assists) for the Eagles, six tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, two pass deflections and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. Cox was recently named to his third straight Pro Bowl.
Other ex-Bulldogs still alive in the NFL postseason are:
nChris Jones, a 6-6, 308-pound defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, who host Tennessee Saturday in an AFC wildcard contest.
The former Houston High School standout lettered at MSU from 2013-2015.
Last week, Jones had two solo tackles, one sack, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble in a 27-24 win at Denver. For the season, the second-year NFL player has 35 tackles (24 solo, 11 assists), seven tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, one interception, seven pass deflections and four forced fumbles.
nKyle Love, a 6-1, 310-pound defensive end, for the Carolina Panthers, who play at New Orleans Sunday in a NFC wildcard game.
He lettered at MSU from 2006-2009. Love made one solo tackle in a 22-10 loss at Atlanta last week. For the season, Love has 15 tackles (eight solo, seven assists), eight quarterback hurries, three tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
