25. Chris Jones

Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Position: DT

Experience: 4 Years

After three years at Mississippi State, Junior Chris Jones forgave his senior season to enter the 2016 NFL Draft. He was selected in the second round (37th overall) by the San Francisco 49ers but was dealt on draft night to the Kansas City Chiefs in a package that included Jones, a 4th rounder and a 6th rounder in exchange for the Chiefs first round pick Joshua Garnett. The 6’6” 310 lbs. Defensive Tackle has steadily improved throughout his short three years in the league so far.

In his 2016 rookie season, Jones played in all 16 games, starting in 11 of those contests. He finished his rookie campaign with 17 solo and 11 assisted tackles, also contributing 5 tackles for loss (2 sacks). Jones dramatically increased his production in his sophomore season, when he accounted for 32 total tackles, 4 forced fumbles and 6.5 sacks. Jones also displayed brilliance in the passing game, as he had 7 passes deflected and 1 INT. The Chiefs were middle of the pack defensively in 2017, heavily relying on their ability to create turnovers. 

2018 was tough for the Chiefs on defense, as they ranked 31st in total yards/game, passing yards/game and rushing yards/attempt. Along with this, they also gave up a league worst 419 first downs to opponents. Some of this disappointment can be attributed to game flow, as KC was leading in a majority of their games. Defenses playing with a lead tend to play preventative schemes, allowing for yardage to be accumulated by the opposition from the 20-20 yard lines. This scheme relies on sacks and turnovers to slow down the attack. KC ended the season ranked 4th in fumbles and 9th in interceptions. Giving up yardage can be misleading on defense, as the New England Patriots have been successful for years with a ‘bend don’t break’ strategy. 

Jones turned into a new monster in 2018, as he finally gained nationwide recognition for his incredible play on the interior. For the third time in three years, Jones was able to suit up for all 16 games. Jones topped his first two years in almost every statistical category in 2018. He accounted for 40 total tackles (35 solo) along with 19 tackles for loss and 29 QB hits! Jones also ranked 3rd in the NFL with 15.5 sacks, trailing only Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt with 20.5 and 16.0 respectively. 

2018 was just the start for Chris Jones. With a young and improving defense around him, Jones is primed for another standout season and the start of a superstar career. The  addition of new Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will be vital in changing the culture of this unit, as Spagnuolo has championship pedigree from his time in New York with the Giants. Jones’s health has yet to be a concern so far, hopefully foreshadowing years to come. Can Jones take the next step into superstardom in 2019? His progression over his first three years says so.