April 26, 2016; Chicago; Mississippi States Chris Jones poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, and former Chiefs fullback Tony Richardson after being selected by Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Christopher Deshun Jones, Jr.
Defensive tackle from Mississippi State University
Selection No. 37, obtained from San Francisco in first-round trade.
Personal
Born: July 3, 1994 in Houston, Mississippi.
Parents: Chris Jones Sr. and Mary Woodhouse. He has two sisters.
Physical picture
- 6-foot, 5 7/8 inches
- 311 pounds
- 5.03 seconds in 40-yard dash.
- 86 seconds over 20 yards.
- 69 seconds over 10 yards.
- 26 repetitions on bench press at 225 pounds.
- 24.5 inches in vertical jump.
- 8-feet, 10 inches in broad jump.
- 7.44 seconds in 3-cone dash.
Hometown
Born in Houston, Miss., the county seat of Chickasaw County in the northeast part of the state, about 40 miles southwest of Tupelo and 45 miles northwest of Starkville, home of Mississippi State. Houston was estimated to have a population of 3,543 in 2014.
Houston hosts the Mississippi Flywheel Festival, a twice-a-year unique setting that celebrates the industrial and agricultural heritage of flywheel engines powered by steam, diesel, and water.
It’s home to the Chickasaw County Regional Correctional Facility, part of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Houston High School/Class of 2013
A 2-year letterman on the football field, with 5 letters earned on the varsity level in basketball.
Football
–2012/senior – 11-3 with school’s first ever football victory in the playoffs. The Hilltoppers beat Amory and Yazoo County in the 4A playoffs before falling to Louisville, 46-21. Jones had 160 tackles at defensive end, with 14 sacks and a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown.
–2011/junior – 6-6 record with Jones contributing 75 tackles with 5 sacks.
–2010/sophomore – 2-9 for the Hilltoppers, as Jones saw limited playing time in four games, producing 25 tackles. He also spent time as an offensive lineman.
Basketball
The Hilltoppers finished 20-5 in the 2012-13 season and Jones averaged 19.1 points per game. A year before, Jones averaged 14.8 points per game in a 19-8 season for HHS.
Recruiting
Jones was considered a 5-star defensive player by most recruiting services. Rivals listed him as the No. 20 player in the nation, No. 1 in Mississippi and No. 2 at defensive tackle. ESPN ranked him No. 46 in the country in their top 300 list. Scout saw him as No. 2 in the state and No. 6 at his position in the country.
He received offers from just about every SEC school, but his only campus visits were to Mississippi State and Mississippi. He committed early to Mississippi State, signing on June 11, 2012 before his senior high school season.
Mississippi State University
Major: communications.
Football/3 seasons
He played 39 games, with 16 starts over three seasons. Jones had 102 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 23 quarterback hurries and nine deflected passes.
–2015/junior – In 13 games, Jones had 44 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries and 4 passes broken up. His best performance was a career high 8 tackles against LSU.
–2014/sophomore – Over 13 games, he finished with 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 8 quarterback hurries, 2 passes broken up. Top game was against Arkansas, with 4 tackles, 1 sack and 2 QB hurries.
–2013/freshman – Playing in his true freshman year, Jones was credited with 32 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and nine passes broken up. He had four tackles against LSU.
Chris Jones speaks
–“I’m my biggest critic, and I always feel like I can do better. I never felt like I reached my potential (at Mississippi State.) I’m always willing to learn and be coachable and get better. So I never feel like I reach my expectations.”
–“I feel like I’m still progressing. I feel like I’m going to work hard and the sky’s the limit. I feel like I’m still maturing as a player and getting better and I’m hoping to always look to new things to make me better.”
–“I watch Trent Cole or Fletcher Cox and J.J. Watt, Ndamukong Suh, all those types of guys. I feel I model my game after those guys. Later in life those guys are going to be Hall of Famers. J.J. Watt has won three defensive MVPs. Fletcher Cox, a dominant defensive lineman for the Eagles. Ndamukong Suh, a dominant defensive lineman in the NFL. All those guys have something in common. They’re going to be Hall of Famers. I try to model my game after them.”
–“I have a flamboyant personality. I’m a cheerful guy. On the field, I know how to switch it on and switch it off. Off the field, I can be happy; I can be exciting.”
–Most troublesome offensive lineman in SEC? “Laremy Tunsil from Ole Miss. I was playing defensive end and he gave me a tough battle. He’s a good offensive lineman, probably one of the best offensive linemen here. He’s pretty good.” (Tunsil was the 13th selection in the first round, going to Miami.)
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Bob Gretz is the senior editor for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @BobGretzcom.
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