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MSU's Kylin Hill and Marquiss Spencer both taken in NFL Draft

Spencer goes to the Broncos and Hill is picked by the Packers

They had to wait until the final round, but a pair of Mississippi State Bulldogs finally heard their names called in the NFL Draft on Saturday.

Defensive lineman Marquiss Spencer was chosen with the event's 253rd overall pick by the Denver Broncos. Running back Kylin Hill went 256th overall to the Green Bay Packers. It's the 12th straight year in which at least one MSU player has been picked in the NFL Draft and it's the 60th time in MSU's history that the Bulldogs have had multiple players selected in the same NFL Draft.

Spencer was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs. He totaled 106 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and four passes defensed in 51 career games. Spencer had 14.5 tackles for loss and five sacks over 22 starts in his final two seasons at MSU.

Spencer – a Greenwood, Mississippi native – becomes the latest in a long line of former Bulldog defensive lineman in the NFL. The group includes the likes of Philadelphia defensive tackle and All-Pro Fletcher Cox, Kansas City defensive tackle and All-Pro Chris Jones, Tennessee defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, Washington defensive end Montez Sweat, Tennessee defensive tackle Denico Autry and others.

As for Hill, he started 27 of 40 career games played. The Columbus, Mississippi, native rushed for 2,535 yards (No. 8 in MSU history) and 16 touchdowns. Hill totaled 11 career 100-yard rushing contests (No. 6 in MSU history). Behind an SEC-best eight 100-yard rushing games, Hill led the league in rushing yards during the 2019 regular season and finished the year with 1,350. 

Hill saw action in only three games in 2020 before opting out of playing the remainder of the year. In his three games, he rushed 15 times for 58 yards and caught 23 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown. 

Hill joins several other former Bulldogs on the Packers' roster including offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, linebacker Preston Smith, safety Will Redmond and long snapper Hunter Bradley.

In addition to Spencer and Hill getting drafted, several former State players have agreed to undrafted free agent deals with NFL teams. Linebacker Erroll Thompson, defensive lineman Kobe Jones and safety Marcus Murphy have all signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Wide receiver Osirus Mitchell has joined the Dallas Cowboys. Meanwhile offensive lineman Greg Eiland has inked with the Seattle Seahawks and offensive lineman Dareuan Parker is now a member of the Chicago Bears.

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