The 5 Best Ole Miss NFL Players of All Time

Archie Manning became a Mississippi folk hero through his work at quarterback for Ole Miss. Against Alabama in 1969, he threw for 436 yards and added 104 rushing yards, delivering a striking example of his contribution through both the air and the ground. He also finished in the top four of Heisman voting twice, giving his college résumé recognition beyond that memorable performance.

That combination is central to his place in the ranking. The Alabama game illustrates the scale of his best afternoons, while repeated Heisman consideration shows that his reputation did not rest on one game alone. His rushing contribution belongs within his quarterback story, not apart from it. Manning went second overall in the 1971 draft after establishing that substantial Ole Miss legacy.

Eli Manning followed his father to Oxford but established an Ole Miss résumé of his own, breaking dozens of school records. His 2003 season supplied the clearest peak: he won the Maxwell Award, finished third in Heisman voting, and led the Rebels to a 10–3 record and a Cotton Bowl victory. Those accomplishments paired passing achievement with a successful team finish.

His ranking draws strength from both the breadth of his school records and the distinction of his final college season. The records speak to his accumulated contribution, while the award and bowl success give that body of work a defining high point. He became the first overall selection in the 2004 draft and later won two Super Bowls, but his Ole Miss achievements stand independently.

Patrick Willis became a nationally recognized linebacker at Ole Miss, with his 2006 season providing a particularly strong foundation for that reputation. He recorded 137 tackles, won the Butkus and Lambert awards, and earned consensus All-American recognition. His physical style and experience playing through injuries were also part of his college story, before a first-round draft selection and an eventual Hall of Fame career.

For this ranking, the tackle production gives substance to the honors rather than leaving his case dependent on reputation. The combination of major awards and consensus recognition marks an exceptional college peak. Ole Miss' contribution to his legacy lies in that accomplished linebacker play, making his professional success a continuation of a résumé already distinguished at the college level.

A.J. Brown left Ole Miss as the school's career leader in receiving yards after producing consecutive seasons above 1,200 yards. A physical wide receiver, he could contribute at multiple levels of the field rather than being defined by a single receiving role. He also shared the receiver room with D.K. Metcalf, placing his accomplishments within a notably talented group.

Brown's strongest ranking argument is the relationship between his repeated season production and his place in the school record book. The career mark reflects accumulated value, while the consecutive high-output seasons show that his résumé was not built around one isolated surge. Playing alongside another prominent receiver adds context, but Brown's own production supplies the clearest reason for his inclusion among Ole Miss standouts.

Michael Oher's story became widely known through The Blind Side, but his Ole Miss football résumé deserves attention on its own. An offensive tackle distinguished by his work on the left side, he earned consensus All-American recognition in 2008 and helped the Rebels win the Cotton Bowl that season. He then became a first-round selection in 2009 and started immediately as a rookie.

His ranking should be grounded in that college achievement rather than the fame surrounding his biography. Consensus recognition gives his peak season a clear national measure, while the bowl victory ties his individual standing to team success. Oher also represents a different kind of offensive contribution on this list: accomplished line play rather than the passing, rushing, or receiving totals of skill-position stars.