Mississippi has seen great players at the skilled positions leave the college ranks and have great careers. The state can argue that it has produced the best running back, quarterback, and wide receiver to ever play pro football.
In just about every decade, Mississippi has produced some of the best offensive linemen in football history.
So here are the best offensive linemen from Mississippi, in no particular order, and their most notable NFL team.
Ken Farragut: Philadelphia Eagles via Ole Miss Rebels
Farragut was a four-year letterman at center for Ole Miss from 1947-50. In the 1950 season, Farragut was named team captain. After the 1950 season, he was invited to play in the College All-Star Game in Chicago.
The Eagles drafted Farragut in the sixth round with the 68th pick in the 1951 draft. Farragut played center for the Eagles from 1951-54. Farragut was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1954.
Robert Gene Hickerson: Cleveland Browns via Ole Miss Rebels
Hickerson played offensive tackle for the Rebels from 1955-57. To this day, Hickerson is considered the one of the best players from the South Eastern Conference. In 1957, was named co-captain and named to the “Team of the Century” (1883-1992) for Ole Miss.
In the 1957 draft, Cleveland used the 78th pick in the seventh round to select Hickerson.
After being drafted, Hickerson was moved to guard in order to take advantage of his speed. For the first four years of his career, he was used as messenger guard, a player who relays the play from the sideline.
In 1961, the use of the messenger guard ended, and Hickerson was named the full-time starter.
Hickerson missed the 1961 season after breaking his leg, and in 1962, he missed the first two games of the season. After these injuries, he never missed a game.
Hickerson started in 165 straight games, a Browns record at the time, and he blocked for three Hall of Fame running backs: Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell, and Jim Brown.
Hickerson was named to six Pro Bowls (1965-70), was selected to first-team All-Pro five times (1966-70), and was named to the 1960’s NFL All-Decade Team.
Hickerson has been honored by both Ole Miss and Cleveland, but his greatest honor came in 2007. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame by his good friend and former teammate Bobby Franklin.
Marvin Terrell: Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs via Ole Miss Rebels
Terrell played for the Rebels from 1957-59 as a guard. Terrell was drafted by the AFL's Dallas Texans (who would later move to Kansas City and become the Chiefs) in the second round with the 26th pick in 1960.
In Terrell’s four-year pro football career, he was named as an AFL All-Star in 1962. He was also part of the longest pro football game played at the time.
In the 1962 AFL Championship Game against the Houston Oilers, Terrell was part of a game that lasted 77 minutes and 54 seconds as the Texans won 20-17 in double overtime.
Kent Hull: Buffalo Bills via Mississippi State Bulldogs
Hull played center for Mississippi State from 1979-82. After his college career, Hull went on to play in the USFL from 1983-1985.
Hull would be the only center in pro football history to block for two 1,000-yard running backs in the same season. The two running backs were Hershel Walker and Maurice Carthon, who rushed for a combined 2,381 yards.
In 1986, both Hull and quarterback Jim Kelly came to the Bills after the USFL folded. During Hull’s 11 years in Buffalo, the Bills enjoyed eight winning seasons, and Hull played in 121 straight games.
Hull anchored an offensive line that led the Bills to the four consecutive AFC Championship games and four straight Super Bowls (XXV, XXVI, XXVII, and XXVIII).
Hull was named to three Pro Bowls (1988-90) and named first-team All-Pro twice (1990-91).
After Hull’s playing career ended, he has been honored several times. Hull was elected to the Mississippi State University Sports Hall of Fame 2000, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame 2002, and the Bills Wall of Fame in 2002.
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