Packers Sign ‘The Mayor’ of Starkville

The Green Bay Packers rounded out their 90-man roster by signing former Mississippi State edge defender Kobe Jones.
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers already employ the unofficial mayor of Door County, running back AJ Dillon.

Now, they employ the unofficial mayor of Starkville, Miss.

The Packers on Monday filled out their offseason roster by signing outside linebacker Kobe Jones, one of the 18 tryout players from last weekend’s rookie minicamp.

Jones started 11 games as a senior at Mississippi State in 2020 and recorded two sacks and four tackles among his 32 total tackles. He went undrafted last year and battled in training camp with the Atlanta Falcons. He failed to make their roster, then spent two weeks on the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad in November.

After the season, he signed a futures deal with the Tennessee Titans but was released after the draft.

At Mississippi State, Jones twice was on the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy. Named after former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, the award is given annually to the Football Bowl Subdivision player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.

Jones was a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and earned his bachelor's degree in business administration. Jones’ work off the field, in which he volunteered with the Starkville Cowboys little league football program as well as his alma mater, Starkville (Miss.) High School, earned him a spot on the SEC Community Service Team in 2020.

While at Mississippi State, Packers running back Kylin Hill set the wheels in motion for the state to pick a new flag free of Confederate symbolism. On Nov. 7, 2020, Jones became the first Mississippi State player to run onto the field with the new flag.

“That moment meant a lot for me,” Jones said at the time. “First off, it was a huge honor to be asked to carry the flag and I was just very proud to finally get to wave a flag that unites all Mississippians.”

It was a signature moment for Jones. His youth coached called Jones “The Blueprint.” Teammates and fans called him “The Mayor.”

Of his career at Mississippi State, his hometown school, Jones said. “My legacy here, in my community, at this university: I want to be a symbol of hope.” He added, “Don't think it's some far-fetched idea. Fifteen years ago, it was a far-fetched idea, and a dude from Starkville came up playing with the Starkville Cowboys and went Division I. It was just a dream then, and I want [kids] to know that it can happen for them too.”

The Packers’ 14 Undrafted Free Agents

Running Backs: Tyler Goodson and B.J. Baylor

Interior Offensive Line: Cole Schneider and George Moore

Offensive Tackles: Jahmir Johnson and Caleb Jones

Receiver: Wisconsin’s Danny Davis

Defensive Linemen: Akial Byers and Hauati Pututau

Inside Linebackers: Ellis Brooks, Caliph Brice

Outside Linebacker: Chauncey Manac

Defensive Backs: CB Raleigh Texada, S Tre Sterling


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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.