Mario Haggan
Encyclopedia
Mario Marcell Haggan is an American football
linebacker
for the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills
in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Mississippi State
.
and was named an All-American. He was named first-team all-state by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger and played in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game. He led his team to the state Class 4A championship in 1997. As a senior, he recorded 158 tackles with three fumble recoveries. He earned Honorable Mention All-American honors by USA Today
.
at Mississippi State
. Haggan started at linebacker in 1999, a season that saw Mississippi State start 8-0 and earn one of the highest national rankings in school history.
and a defensive captain for the Denver Broncos
in 2009, he was moved to ILB
in 2010.
Haggan is valued by the Broncos as a depth player for his versatility, having played all three linebacker positions and both defensive end positions.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
.
Early years
Haggan grew up in a poverty-stricken area of Mississippi. He attended Clarksdale High School, where he played footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and was named an All-American. He was named first-team all-state by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger and played in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game. He led his team to the state Class 4A championship in 1997. As a senior, he recorded 158 tackles with three fumble recoveries. He earned Honorable Mention All-American honors by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
.
College career
Haggan played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Mississippi State
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
. Haggan started at linebacker in 1999, a season that saw Mississippi State start 8-0 and earn one of the highest national rankings in school history.
Denver Broncos
Haggan was named starting an OLBLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and a defensive captain for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2009, he was moved to ILB
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in 2010.
Haggan is valued by the Broncos as a depth player for his versatility, having played all three linebacker positions and both defensive end positions.