Former NCHS great Jessie Burton chosen for McNeese sports hall of fame
Natchitoches native Jessie Burton, who starred for Natchitoches Central’s most successful football teams before setting records as a running back at McNeese, has been chosen for the McNeese Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Burton and five more McNeese sports stars will be enshrined in Lake Charles on Aug. 29 in a Hall of Fame ceremony. They will be recognized at halftime during the football season opening game when McNeese hosts defending Southland Conference champion Stephen F. Austin.
Burton’s All-State career at NCHS included a state semifinal playoff appearance. He was an immediate hit at McNeese.
As a freshman, he set McNeese, Southland Conference and Louisiana records with seven rushing touchdowns in one game (vs. Southern Utah, 1998). Burton ran for 1,162 yards that season, ranking as the second-most by a freshman in school history. He scored 18 touchdowns in 1998, sharing the school record with Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame running back Buford Jordan and was named the Cowboys’ outstanding offensive player in 1998.
The former Chief had seven 100-yard rushing games in 1998, tying for the school record. His freshman year awards haul included All-Southland and All-Louisiana honors and he was named both the SLC and Louisiana Freshman of the Year.
He overcame a knee injury to rank eighth all-time at McNeese in career rushing with 2,637 yards. Burton’s 28 career rushing touchdowns is tied for sixth all-time in school history. He earned another All-SLC honor after his junior year.
As a junior in 2000, he averaged 107.7 yards per game rushing, the seventh-best average in a single-season in school history. Burton posted 17 career games rushing for 100 yards or more, ranking No. 2 all-time at McNeese.
The Cowboys’ Hall of Fame class was announced Thursday. The class was voted on by the school’s Hall of Fame Committee from a list of nominations.