Where did Fletcher Cox play college football? Collegiate career of the Eagles star DT explored

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox announced his retirement from the NFL on Sunday. He had a strong college football career with the Mississippi State Bulldogs for three seasons before entering the 2012 NFL Draft. Cox was selected with the 12th overall pick.

Let's take a deeper dive into Cox's collegiate career and discuss how he did in those years.

Where did Fletcher Cox play college football?

Fletcher Cox played three seasons of college football and from the 2010-2012 seasons, he was wreaking havoc for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. While he did not have spectacular freshman or sophomore seasons, he took a massive step in the right direction in his junior season and wound up being selected 12th overall in 2012 by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Fletcher Cox College stats

Cox was a late bloomer in college but he started 12 games all three seasons. He ended up with 114 total tackles (53 solo, 61 assisted), with 7.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss. He also was able to record a forced fumble and a pair of fumble recoveries.

The 2011 season elevated Cox to a top-half of the first-round draft pick. That season, Cox had 56 total tackles (26 solo, 30 assisted) with 14.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The tackles for a loss placed him fifth in the entire Southeastern Conference.

How many years did Cox play in the NFL?

Cox was with the Philadelphia Eagles throughout his entire career in a show of loyalty. He played every season since being drafted, so he truly had a 12-year NFL career at the time of announcing his retirement.