Mississippi LB Christopher Jones stays home, commits to Southern Miss

More than a dozen programs offered Flowood (Miss.) Hartfield Academy linebacker Christopher Jones, but ultimately it came down to Southern Miss and Arkansas State.

On Thursday, he made the call and announces for the Golden Eagles.

“Southern Miss didn’t just tell me that I was going to be a good fit for them, they showed me and that helped me pick them,” he told On3. “They have a great program, they have history, the coaching staff is great and I really like the environment.”

The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder had some interest from Power Five programs starting to bubble up, but he was familiar with Southern Miss and felt like now was the right time to make a decision.

“I have visited a lot, going back to when I was younger, and I have always felt at home,” he said. “I’m close to Coach Chad Williams and he had a big role in my commitment. He had some real words for me and he is like a mentor for me.”

The Golden Eagles envision the playmaking linebacker in their “MONEY” role playing inside. Jones has clocked a 4.55 40 and has notched 126 tackles in two seasons at the varsity level. He’s also logged 17 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in two seasons.