Much has been made about Mississippi State’s losses on defense this offseason.
But two of the Bulldogs top defensive talents – defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback Will Redmond – did not start a game last season. On Friday, both were named to the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Trophy, given annually to the top defensive player in the country.
Jones, a 6-foot-6, 308-pound junior from Houston, appeared in all 13 games last season. He finished with 26 tackles including 3.5 for loss, three sacks, two pass deflections and eight quarterback hurries.