Defensive end Chris Jones has signed with Mississippi State, giving the Bulldogs one of the top recruits in the country. The Houston (Miss.) High School product is a consensus top-20 prospect in the nation, and is rated as high as second overall by 247Sports.com.
Chris Jones signs with Mississippi State over Ole Miss
The highly regarded defensive end will play his college football in Starkville for the Bulldogs.
Bud Elliott - SB Nation
At 6’5, 250 lbs, Jones is a physically imposing specimen already. He put up ridiculous numbers during his senior season in 2012, accumulating 160 tackles and 14 sacks, along with an outlandish 45 tackles for a loss. A player of Jones’ talent level will not have to wait long to see playing time, and may be in a position to make an impact on the field as a true freshman.
Jones gives the Bulldogs a huge boost to their 2013 recruiting class, which is ranked in the top 25 by most recruiting services. He will bolster a Mississippi State pass rush that was 99th in the nation last year, and only registered 18 sacks in 13 games.
Ratings: Jones is rated as a five-star recruit by 247, Rivals, and Scout, and a four-star recruit by ESPN.
Vitals: Jones stands at 6’5, 250 lbs, and runs a 4.7 second 40-yard dash.
Other offers: Jones had offers from much of the SEC, including Alabama, LSU, Florida, Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.
Recruitment timeline: Jones committed to Mississippi State on June 11, 2012, but other teams have remained on his trail. He took an official visit to Ole Miss on Jan. 25 and to Auburn on Feb. 1.
Look through SB Nation’s many excellent college football blogs to find your team’s community.
