Florida’s Dan Mullen is two and a half years removed from his tenure at Mississippi State, but his imprint on that program can still be felt.
The Bulldogs have dropped off as an offense and team since Mullen’s departure in 2017, with his predecessor Joe Moorhead getting fired after a 6-7 record last season.
MSU is hoping Mike Leach can restore the offensive success it had under Mullen. Mullen's units ranked top 50 in total offense in his last five years, including No. 8 nationally in 2014. Moorehead’s offenses ranked 71st and 70th, respectively.
Mullen is the second-winningest coach in school history, with his 69 victories ranking six behind Jackie Sherrill (75). But Mullen finished with a better win percentage overall (60 percent) and in SEC play, and he also outdid Sherrill in the NFL Draft.
In his 13-year tenure and the two subsequent draft classes, Sherrill had 39 picks and two first-rounders. In four less seasons at MSU, Mullen produced 35 draft picks and five first-rounders over an 11-year stretch.
Mullen also has one more second-round selection than Sherrill after former linebacker Willie Gay went 31st overall to the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs in the 2020 NFL Draft.
“I gotta text from Willie right after the draft, like I did from our guys here at Florida,” Mullen said. “I thought that was great.”
The Bulldogs had five players drafted last weekend, including four Mullen recruits. It’s the fifth time that four or more of his players have been selected in an MSU draft class.
“I was really pleased,” Mullen said of the 2020 picks. “I still get questions about those guys. I got questions about Willie Gay, Cam Danzler. I was so happy for those guys to go out and get drafted and continue to see the success the program is having.
“The guys we recruited, it’s one of those where you go out and recruit those guys and you get a great relationship with those guys. You get to know them personally and get to know their families. So you couldn’t be happier to see them go out with their dreams.”
Mullen and Gators defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who spent 2017 in Starkville, had three of their former MSU players drafted in the first round last year. With UF cornerback C.J. Henderson going ninth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, Mullen has now coached 12 first-round picks in his career and Grantham is up to 10.
“To go in the first round you have to have a certain level of talent,” Mullen said. “But if you come play for us, if you have that talent, we’re going to help you maximize that talent and put you in a position to go be a first-round draft pick, which I think is really special.
“You come play at Florida, you’re not only gonna get coached, you’re gonna get developed. You’re gonna have the opportunity to go and get touches on the field and the opportunity to go on to the next level and play in the NFL. And I think that’s such a huge selling point.”
