Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State’s Chris Jones: Why He’s the NFL’s Best Defender

Chris Jones is the best defender in the NFL, and there is no close second.

Jacob Bain

Jul 22, 2024; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) walks down the hill from the locker room to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Jul 22, 2024; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) walks down the hill from the locker room to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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Former Mississippi State defensive lineman Chris Jones is the most dominant defender in the NFL. The former Bulldog has been causing havoc throughout his career, but Aaron Donald also made a strong claim for the title.

With Donald now retired, Jones is number one and not even close. It takes an extraordinary talent to wreck a game from the interior of the defensive line because it is easier to get double-teamed, and usually, the quickness is not the same as that of the edge rusher.

The former 5-star recruit from Houston, Miss., can create problems for the quarterback by applying pressure or swatting down passes.

The 6-6 310 pounder also has remarkable versatility as he does line up in the traditional defensive end spot for an easier rush to the quarterback in critical moments.

Luckily for Jones, he also plays with the top quarterback in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes, so he has plenty of chances to perform in the postseason. He makes the most of these opportunities as the Kansas City Chiefs defense also plays its best football in the postseason, and Jones leads the charge.

Good players can play well in the regular season, but great ones do it in the most significant moments, and Jones fits that bill.


Jones is a nine-year NFL veteran, and he is well on his way to becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer with these accolades:

  • 76 sacks
  • 79 tackles for loss
  • Three-time Super Bowl Champion
  • Two-time All-Pro
  • Five-time Pro Bowler

Many compared Jones to another former Mississippi State legend, Fletcher Cox, due to their time in Starkville being close together, but Jones has passed Cox, who is a potential Hall of Famer in his own right.

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Jacob Bain
JACOB BAIN

Jacob Bain first joined Cowbell Corner as an intern, and was promoted to lead day-to-day coverage in Starkville of Mississippi State sports in 2023. His primary beats include football, baseball and basketball. He's originally from Fulton, Miss.

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