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BREATHS A HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF.
Man, I think we are all glad that that is over. After months of speculation, rumors, ridiculousness, and reports surrounding his recruitment, Chris Jones decided to stick with his commitment to Mississippi State today, signing his Letter of Intent with the maroon and white. The signing took place at an event held at Houston High School.
Chris Jones is officially a Bulldog. Welcome to the family Big Dawg. #HailStateNSD
— Dan Mullen (@CoachDanMullen) February 6, 2013
I don't have to tell State fans how big of a relief it is for Jones' LOI to be in, and for it to have come in for MSU. Whether any of the speculation was ever founded in facts, there was speculation, and enough of it to worry State fans about Jones' college intentions quite a bit. Jones, as many of you know by now, had a whirlwind recruitment of late, as he saw himself go from a 2-star, unknown DE to a 5-star player sought by the likes of Nick Saban and Will Muschamp. After Ole Miss got involved in Chris' recruitment several months ago, things got interesting, as Jones took an official visit there, several late night supposed trips this past weekend, all the while insisting that he remained steadfast in his commitment to Dan Mullen and company. We now know that his intentions were in fact true, and Chris today cemented himself as the crown jewel of the 2013 signing class for MSU.
High School
Houston HS - Houston, Mississippi
Measureables
Height - 6'5"
Weight - 250 lbs
40 - 4.70
Recruiting Service Rankings
247Sports - 5-star (#1 MS, #2 DE, #2 National), 100 Grade
Scout - 5-star (#2 DE)
Rivals - 5-star (#1 MS, #2 DE, #20 National), 6.1 Grade
Highlights
Offers
MSU, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Miami (interest), Oklahoma State (interest), USC (interest)
John Luke's thoughts
Jones is a guy that has size that you can't teach. He stand stands around 6-6(some say 6-7) and at 250+ pounds. Players that big don't grow on trees. Then you talk about his athleticism. The combination of size and athleticism make Jones a once in a generation type talent. He has limited football experience, with just over a season of varsity football under his belt. I have been big on Jones since the beginning and after his performances at the MS/AL and Under Armour all star events, I'm convinced he's the best player in the country. His recruitment got crazy at the end, but he will be a special talent from day one.
HailState.com Bio
Considered the nation's No. 2 overall prospect in the country by 247Sports.com while earning the distinction of being the top-rated player in the state of Mississippi by nearly every publication ... No. 1 on the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion Ledger's Top 10 Most Wanted list ... Rated the No. 2 defensive end in the country by 247Sports and Scout.com ... Named to the ESPN.com top-150 recruits coming in at No. 46 ... ESPN.com rated him the No. 6 defensive end in the country, the No. 25 best player in the southeast and the No. 2 ranked player in the state ... Helped lead coach William Cook and the Houston Hilltoppers to their first-ever playoff win and a 11-3 record in 2012 ... Led the team in tackles as a defensive end with 160 ... Also recorded 14.0 sacks, 10 pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and a 74-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second-round playoff matchup with Louisville High School ... Recoded 75 tackles and 5.0 sacks during his junior season as a first-year football player at Houston ... Selected to the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic to start at defensive end ... Recorded eight tackles, a sack and three tackles for loss in the game earning Mississippi's MVP honors ... Also selected to the Under Armor All-American game ... Scout.com named him top-performer in the first day of practices leading up to the ball game ... Also was invited to but did not participate in the Semper Fidelis All-American game ... As a junior, he recorded 75 total tackles with 32 solos, five quarterback sacks ... Played just four games as a sophomore, when he had 25 tackles as a backup, 16 of them solo stops ... Also worked as an offensive lineman in 2010 ... Five-year letterman for the Houston basketball varsity, and averaged 14.8 points as a junior ... Named to the Mississippi North/South All-Star Basketball Game for 2011 ... Committed to the Bulldogs in June 2012 over Alabama, Florida, Auburn, Ole Miss and a host of others.