Kelley Jones CB Mississippi State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #1 ROLE: Outside Zone CB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.42 seconds (78%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #1 | |
| ROLE: Outside Zone CB | |
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.42 seconds (78%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
86.7 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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75% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 65.9 | |
| Tackling: |
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84% |
| Run Defense: |
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70% |
| Coverage: |
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87% |
| Zone: |
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82% |
| Man/Press: |
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86% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Late
Overall Rank:
#27
Position rank:
#4 (DB)
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| College Games: 33 College Snaps: 1558 | ||
ESPN RATING: 78/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shavon Revel Jr. - East Carolina |
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89% |
| Devin Moore - Florida |
|
78% |
| Martin Emerson - Mississippi State |
|
77% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Kelley Jones played quarterback and defensive back at Clarksdale High School in Mississippi, throwing for 558 yards and 10 touchdowns and running for 1,424 yards and 19 scores as a senior while adding 67 tackles and seven pass breakups on defense. He played in the 2022 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game and was a three-star recruit, and Mississippi State was the first SEC school to offer him.Jones redshirted in 2023 and made four starts in 2024, winning the team's competition for its fastest player. He started all 13 games in 2025 and allowed only 11 catches on 38 targets, intercepting passes at Texas A&M and against Texas and breaking up nine more. He was a third-team All-SEC pick by the coaches and returned a blocked extra point for two points in the Duke's Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest. He chose to return to Starkville for 2026 despite first-round projections.
Jones was a preseason second-team All-American by the Associated Press and set a goal at SEC Media Days of winning the Thorpe Award. He has started all eight games, allowing 12 catches on 24 targets with no touchdowns and five pass breakups, and he was an On3 midseason first-team All-American. He made six tackles and broke up two passes in the 31-24 win over Missouri, but Mississippi State has lost four straight since. Cornerbacks coach Corey Bell has said Jones has two things he cannot coach, length and speed.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Rare length for a cornerback, ideal for press and contesting at the catch point
- Allowed just 11 catches on 38 targets in 2025
- Has not allowed a touchdown in eight games this season
- Intercepted passes against Texas A&M and Texas in 2025
- Sticky in trail technique, rarely letting receivers separate
- Good speed for his size, with a forty in the solid range
- Two breakups and six tackles in the September win over Missouri
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- No interceptions this season despite steady targets in his direction
- Alabama completed two passes for 54 yards against him
- Crisper in man coverage than reading routes from off alignment in zone
Scouting Report: Summary
Jones is a long, sticky press-man corner whose frame lets him smother routes at the line and contest at the catch point. He rarely lets receivers separate, and the numbers back it up: 11 catches allowed on 38 targets in 2025, and no touchdowns allowed in eight games this fall. Mississippi State's coaches have called his length and speed the things you cannot coach.He has done it against SEC competition. In 2025 he intercepted passes against Texas A&M and Texas, and this season he had two breakups in the win over Missouri and held receivers at LSU and Oklahoma to modest days. He also tackles reliably for the position, with two missed tackles this season, and his background as a high school quarterback shows in how he reads route combinations from press. In 2026 he has allowed 12 catches on 24 targets for 179 yards, and none of them have gone for touchdowns.
However, the ball production has dipped. He has no interceptions this season, and his tackle volume is modest for an every-down role. Alabama had success on the two balls it completed against him, and he is crisper in man coverage than reading concepts from off alignment in zone. Mississippi State's struggles have also left him on a team that has lost four straight, which limits the big-game tape teams can study. He does have five pass breakups this season, so he is still getting his hands on the ball.
Overall, Jones thrives in press-man and makes life hard on receivers with his length and physicality, the kind of cover man who fits any team that plays tight coverage. He projects as a first-round boundary corner and an early starter, with the upside of a top cover corner if the takeaways return. His size also gives him the option of matching bigger receivers, which adds to his value in man-heavy schemes.
How other scouting services rate Kelley Jones (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
31.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
7.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.