JACKSON, Miss. – Ole Miss defensive back Mike Hilton has been recognized by the Jackson Touchdown Club as the Most Valuable Senior on the Rebels’ football team. Ole Miss defensive coordinator Dave Wommack presented Hilton with the award Monday evening during the C Spire Most Valuable Senior Program at the River Hills Tennis Club.
Hilton was one of 10 college football players throughout the state to earn the honor for his respective team.
Wearing No. 38 as the Chucky Mullins Courage Award recipient, Hilton has been a leader on the Landshark defense all season long. Playing nearly every position in the secondary at one point during the 2015 campaign, Hilton ranks third in the Southeastern Conference with 13 passes defended. The Fayetteville, Georgia, native also has two interceptions to his credit, picking off passes against New Mexico State and Memphis. He has swarmed to the ball by recording 65 tackles, including a team-high 46 unassisted. A semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, Hilton leads all SEC DBs with 11.0 tackles for loss.
With just the bowl game looming as the final time he will wear an Ole Miss uniform, Hilton has had a memorable college career. He was a huge piece to the 2014 Landshark defense that led the nation in scoring defense, and he’s helped the Rebels produce back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time since 1961-62.
Hilton has totaled 221 tackles, 24.0 TFLs, 30 passes defended and six interceptions throughout his four-year career. He brought his A-game to his final Egg Bowl, posting a team-high 10 tackles and 2.0 TFLs in the Rebels’ 38-27 win over Mississippi State, the first Ole Miss win in Starkville since 2003.
The Jackson Touchdown Club has been presenting the Most Valuable Senior awards every year since 1946.
