All-Pro Dawgs
January 14, 2022 | Football
STARKVILLE – A trio of former Mississippi State football players were selected to the Associated Press' NFL All-Pro Teams it was revealed on Friday. Two other former Bulldogs received votes.
Defensive back J.T. Gray of the New Orleans Saints was tabbed as a First Teamer for his work on special teams this season. Meanwhile, Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans were both chosen to the Second Team as interior defensive linemen.
Also receiving AP All-Pro votes were Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay and Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke.
A national panel of 50 media members picked this year's AP All-Pro squads. Out of those possible 50 votes, Gray received 18. Jones and Simmons each received 10 votes, while Cooke had three and Slay had one.
Gray led the league in special teams tackles during the regular season, totaling a career-high 19 special teams stops.
Jones and Simmons were each anchors of their respective defensive lines.
Jones helped the Chiefs to the No. 2 seed in the AFC as he finished the regular season ranked No. 11 in the NFL in total pressures, 16th in pass rush grade and tied for fifth in the league in batted passes.
Simmons was a key piece of a Titans squad that earned the AFC's top seed. He racked up a career-best 8.5 sacks and ranked 15th in the NFL in total pressures.
Slay posted the Eagles' highest overall defensive grade this season. His coverage grade came in eighth among NFL cornerbacks and safeties that had at least 550 snaps in coverage.
Cooke punted 64 times this year. He averaged 46.5 yards per punt and placed opponents inside their own 20-yard line on 28 of his 64 punts.
