The NFL returned this past weekend, with the 49ers-Jets rounding off the first week of games on MNF. It also meant the return of ManningCast, where Peyton and Eli Manning watched the game with plenty of guests popping up to talk about football and wherever the conversation headed.
One of those guests was Kansas City defensive lineman Chris Jones. Jones joined the Mannings to discuss the Chiefs' Super Bowl win, looking to three-peat, and his high school recruiting, which also popped up in conversation.
Chris Jones would commit to Ole Miss if he could do it all again
It's been over a decade since Chris Jones announced his commitment as part of the 2013 recruiting class. A Mississippi native, Jones decided to commit to Mississippi State despite interest from various schools, including Ole Miss.
Speaking to Peyton and Eli, Jones said he would choose the Rebels over Mississippi State if he could do it all again. The big reason was he wanted to play for Hugh Freeze, the Ole Miss head coach at the time. The Chiefs game wrecker was close to joining Freeze but opted to join the Bulldogs. He admitted he probably would not have gone in hindsight.
Chiefs’ defensive tackle Chris Jones on the Manning Cast: “I wanted to play for Hugh Freeze so bad. If I could do it all over again, I probably wouldn’t go. But I was so close to going to Ole Miss.”
— Caleb Salers (@CalebSalersST) September 10, 2024
What would the Rebels’ ceiling have been with Jones on the d-line? pic.twitter.com/46ppelrAda
Thinking back to the 2013 roster, Ole Miss could have had Chris Jones line up with Robert Nkemdiche and Cameron Whigham on the defensive front. They would also have Trae Elston and Mike Hilton in the secondary and D.T. Shackelford at linebacker, which is an exciting defense.
It was a recruiting miss from the Rebels, as they lost out on a high-in-state prospect, the fifth-highest recruit from Mississippi to date. Jones was ranked the No.2 player in the nation by 247Sports, which was a big get for Mississippi State then.
Chris Jones is looking to three-peat for Kansas City this season, winning back-to-back Super Bowls with the Chiefs. In just eight seasons, he has won the Super Bowl three times under Andy Reid and the Chiefs. He is also the highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL.