WATCH: Mississippi State freshman Kelley Jones confident in abilities at cornerback

Kelley Jones opened up a lot of eyes late in his prep career at Clarksdale High School and was a former On3 four-star prospect. These days as a redshirt freshman at Mississippi State, Jones is already battling to be in the starting lineup for the Bulldogs’ defense.

On Tuesday following practice, Jones met with the media to discuss on-going training camp and his side of the ball:

Q: How would you describe your journey so far at Mississippi State?
Jones: I describe it as taking advantage of the small opportunities that some people don’t get the chance at it. So it’s a big milestone for me and I’ve got little kids looking up to me. I’m trying to do the best I can each and every day to get better. My teammates are pushing me and being a leader that I can be. That’s how I am approaching it.

Q: You are considered one of the fastest guys on the team. Who gives you a run for the money for that title?
Jones: Mario Craver, for sure. I can’t take no time off with him and he’s on it. It pushes me to do my job. But Mario Craver, for sure.

Q: What things does cornerbacks coach Corey Bell emphasize to you guys?
Jones: Staying with our man, staying body on body and most importantly, be hard to throw against. If you are hard to throw against then the quarterback ain’t looking your way. So you lock it down and he wants you to be aggressive and be hard and physical. That’s all I can say.

Q: What momentum did you take away from spring ball to training camp?
Jones: I feel like me being a freshman last year coming in and looking up to DeCam (Decamerion Richardson) and watching them play, I put myself in their shoes. I’m really in the position they were in. So I look at that and don’t take no plays off because any day your spot could be taken. They look at me as the leader of the group and with my aggression and the confidence I got, I just be the best I can be for my teammates and I look forward to success.

Q: What are some things you took away from Decamerion and DeCarlos Richardson last season?
Jones: Just being hard to throw against and quick hands. Using my hands, using what I got and speed and just giving receivers hard problems and just taking everything in. Not only being locked in but having fun, too, and being in the moment and embracing the moment. I don’t want to go home and say what I should have done. I’m just out there having fun.

Q: How much of advantage is your length at cornerback?
Jones: I feel like it’s a blessing. I wake up each and every day and my teammates tell me I am one of one. So I try to take everything in and use what God gave me because it doesn’t come around every blue moon. I just pray and use my technique and do what my coaches tell me to do. I try to be hard to throw against at all time.

Q: How’s your experience been with Coach Bell so far?
Jones: Coach Bell sets a good milestone each and every day. He likes to be hard on me and likes to show me that you can’t let up because your opponent is waiting for you to put your head down or show that you are tired. So it’s a big milestone for him. I like the aggression and I wake up every day knowing I can’t play with him because he’s about business. That just makes me lead the group.

Q: With your size you will draw a lot of matchups with the X receivers. How eager are you for those matchups?
Jones: Just let them know who I am from the get-go. When the ball gets spotted and I walk up and look them in the eyes and let them know I am here, I’ll let them figure out and let the world know I am here and here to stay.

Q: How do you feel like this defense is coming together?
Jones: I feel like it is coming together good. It’s great communication with the older guys and being younger, I feel like an older guy myself getting better each and every day. They trust me and I can depend on them and they can depend on me. With the Dline always telling me that and to stay strong and keep pounding because never know when it could be your last snap. So we communicate and stay on one track and keep momentum and go out and play.

Q: Last year teams threw deep on the defense. How do you keep that from happening this year?
Jones: Smile and let them know that we’re here. This is a whole new team and a different vibe. Give people what they want. I know a lot of people think oh yeah, they got beat deep last year but we got people now that they’ve never seen. We got people coming back like Corey (Ellington) and Brylan (Lanier) and (Brice Pollock) coming back at corner with experience. I would put them against anybody.

Q: What’s fun about playing corner?
Jones: It means you are doing your job. By knowing what to do that brings fun into it. Knowing your job and how to execute, that slows the game down for you. So with that and knowing what to do and making plays, that’s going to bring a smile to you.

Q: What went into you changing your jersey number to No. 1?
Jones: Everyone was just sitting down talking and I’ve always been a guy that whatever they give me, that’s what I’m gonna ride with. My teammates came to me and with our relationship they felt like I was No. 1. I never asked for it and they just came to me and said I should get it with the position I’m in and with the path I got to go. I can shock a lot of people and be a first-round pick (in the NFL).

Q: Where do you feel like you’ve grown the most in the last year?
Jones: I feel like I’ve grown in big milestones. By looking at people that play this game knowing they are bigger and physical and knowing they are not fixing to play with you. Looking at my teammates and knowing they take it serious, I look at it as if this is my last year, too. So I got to go out and do things as if I was a senior. So that’s how I look at it.

Q: What gives you confidence in yourself and sophomore Brice Pollock?
Jones: With the experience he (Pollock) had last year and being in the fire early, I congratulated him and tell him to smile in the moment. With him being out there last year and the game slowing down now, if he can do it I can do it. If we can do it we are going to be better off going into the year.