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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Five Rebels Ink NFL Deals
4/26/2010 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. - Five more Ole Miss Rebels are headed to the National Football League, as QB Jevan Snead, WR Shay Hodge, CB Marshay Green, LB Patrick Trahan and TE Gerald Harris have signed free-agent contracts, joining the foursome that was drafted over the weekend.
Snead inked with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hodge with the San Francisco 49ers, Green with the Arizona Cardinals and Trahan and Harris both with the Tennessee Titans.
A native of Stephenville, Texas, Snead joins Eli Manning as just the second Rebel signal-caller to throw for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons, and he trails only Manning in career passing yards (5,394) and passing TDs (46) despite playing just two years in the Red and Blue after transferring from Texas after his freshman year. He also posted a school-record streak of eight straight games with multiple TD passes.
Snead, who decided to forgo his senior season after graduating in December, turned in 14 career 200-yard passing games, which ranks third on the Ole Miss charts. He leaves Oxford as the Rebels' all-time leader in average yards per attempt (8.0) and average yards per completion (14.4).
Snead's primary target was Hodge, who stands as the Ole Miss career leader in receiving yards (2,646). He ranks second all-time in receptions (173) and TD catches (22) and tied for second in 100-yard receiving games (6).
A four-year letterman and two-time All-SEC honoree from Morton, Miss., Hodge earned honorable mention All-America distinction as a senior, as he became the first 1,000-yard receiver in school history (1,135). He also set Rebel season record for 100-yard receiving games (5) and led the SEC in yards (87.3 ypg) and receptions (5.4 rpg).
Green began his career in the receiving corps before moving to defense for his final two seasons, starting 24 games in the secondary. In 2008, Green totaled two interceptions and a team-high six pass break-ups, and in 2009, he helped Ole Miss rank 11th in the nation in pass efficiency defense and 15th in pass defense.
In the return game, Green etched his name in the Rebel record books. The Bastrop, La., product ranks fourth all-time in career punt return yards (917) and sixth in kickoff return yards (984). Green's three career TD punt returns are tied for second on the school's all-time list, and his 24.0-yard kickoff return average is the highest of any of the top 10 career yardage leaders.
A two-year letterman after transferring from Northwest Mississippi C.C., Trahan garnered fourth team All-SEC honors in 2009, when he tied for eighth in the SEC in TFLs (12.0). He also tied for the Rebel lead in interceptions (2), while ranking third on the team in sacks (5.0) and fourth in tackles (69).
Trahan may best be rememebered for his outstanding postseason play. Including his freshman season at Auburn, Trahan played on three Cotton Bowl champion teams, notched a safety in the 2009 classic and posted an interception and a fumble return for a touchdown in 2010.
Harris is another JUCO transfer that played two seasons at Ole Miss and provided some postseason highlights. In the 2009 Cotton Bowl, the Terrell, Texas native became the first Rebel to collect two TD catches in a bowl game. He hauled in four touchdowns and eight career passes at Ole Miss.
As a blocker, Harris helped the Rebel offense rank second in the SEC and 14th in the nation in fewest sacks allowed (17) in 2009. The Rebels finished fourth in the conference in sacks allowed in 2008 (20), while ranking second in rushing (186.5 ypg).
The Rebels that were drafted this year included Dexter McCluster in the second round to Kansas City, John Jerry in the third to Miami, Kendrick Lewis in the fifth to KC and Greg Hardy in sixth to Carolina. Four selections equal the most in a single draft for Ole Miss since five Rebels heard their names called in 1985.
