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Three More Rebels Sign with NFL Teams to Pursue Professional Dreams
Lavon Hooks during the Rebels 48-0 win over Presbyterian last season. Hooks signed with the Green Bay Packers.
Photo courtesy Joshua McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics
Three more former Ole Miss Rebels have been signed by NFL teams in recent days as they pursue careers in professional football.
After helping Ole Miss lead the nation in scoring defense (16.0 points per game) and advance to one of the inaugural New Year’s Six bowl games, Bryon Bennett has been signed by the Dallas Cowboys, Lavon Hooks by the Green Bay Packers and Keith Lewis by the Denver Broncos.
Bennett is a 6-foot-2, 293-pound defensive lineman that played both tackle and end during his four-year Rebel career. The Madison, Mississippi, native finished his career with 53 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. He started 27 of 49 career games played in the Red and Blue.
Hooks, from Atlanta, Georgia, by way of Northeast Mississippi Community College, made 27 tackles with 9.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in his 24 games played as a Rebel. The 6-foot-3, 318-pound defensive tackle registered 6.5 TFLs and 2.0 sacks during his senior campaign.
Lewis, a 6-foot, 220-pound linebacker from Tampa, Florida, made an appearance in all 51 games during his four years at Ole Miss. He racked up 105 tackles, 7.0 TFLs, a fumble recovery, two interceptions and three passes defended. His senior year saw him collect 49 tackles and 2.5 TFLs while helping the Rebels become of the nation’s most feared defensive units.
The trio joins four others who have been signed by NFL clubs. Senquez Golson was a second-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Cody Prewitt (Tennessee Titans), Carlos Thompson (Houston Texans) and Bo Wallace (Kansas City Chiefs) all signed free-agent deals following the draft.
Ole Miss has a rich tradition of producing NFL talent, including 281 draft picks and 19 first-round selections. Last year, there were 23 Rebels in the league. Seven of them made the playoffs, including Super Bowl champion Brandon Bolden of the New England Patriots.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |