Chris Jones, Will Redmond Selected on Day 2 of 2016 NFL Draft
April 30, 2016 | Football
CHICAGO – The wait is over for Chris Jones and Will Redmond. The former Mississippi State defensive standouts were taken in the second and third rounds, respectively on Friday night in the 2016 NFL Draft at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre.
Jones was selected No. 37 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs, while Redmond went No. 68 overall to the San Francisco 49ers. Both were significant contributors in helping the Bulldogs to their highest two-year win total in school history in 2014 and '15.
Jones, who was in attendance in the “green room,” walked out on stage to a thunderous ovation before hugging Commissioner Roger Goodell after his name was called. He became the highest drafted MSU player since Darius Slay went No. 36 to the Detroit Lions in 2013.
“It's a blessing to be able to be a part of the Kansas City Chiefs,” Jones said. “It was a very special moment. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I told the Commissioner I didn't mean to hit him that hard. When you have that much excitement you really don't feel it. You are just living in the moment.”
Redmond came into the 2015 season as a projected first rounder, but he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and was sidelined for the final six games of the year. He is expected to play in 2016. The Memphis native was the highest drafted Bulldog by the 49ers since Jimmy Webb was taken No. 10 overall in 1975.
“I'm just trying to get there, work hard, get with the trainers and get back healthy,” Redmond said.
A total of 20 Bulldogs have been chosen in the NFL Draft under Dan Mullen's watch since 2010, including seven first or second round selections in the last six drafts combined.
The final day of the NFL Draft begins at 11 a.m. CT Saturday with rounds four through seven. ESPN and NFL Network will televise and it will be streamed on WatchESPN.com and NFL.com/watch.
Several other Bulldogs are expected to come off the board led by All-American quarterback Dak Prescott.
2016 Mississippi State NFL Draft Notes
· 20 different MSU players have been selected in the NFL Draft under Dan Mullen since 2010.
· In the last six NFL Drafts, MSU has produced a combined seven first or second round picks under Mullen. The previous 8 drafts before Mullen? 0
· Chris Jones was the second-highest drafted MSU defensive lineman since 1983. Only Fletcher Cox went higher when he was taken in the 2012 first round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
· The Bulldogs have had at least one defensive lineman taken in five out of the last six NFL Drafts.
· MSU produced multiple picks through the first three rounds of a draft in back-to-back years for the first time since 1998, '99.
· Chris Jones became the first MSU player to be selected by the Kansas City Chiefs since Greg Favors went No. 120 overall (Round 4) in 1998. Jones is the highest drafted Bulldog in Chiefs history.
· Jones was the fifth Bulldog defensive lineman to be taken in the NFL Draft under Mullen, joining Pernell McPhee (2011), Fletcher Cox (2012), Josh Boyd (2013) and Preston Smith (2015).
· MSU has had multiple picks through the first three rounds in three out of the last four NFL Drafts.
· Will Redmond became the fourth different defensive back to be selected in the NFL Draft in the Mullen era, joining Charles Mitchell (2012), Darius Slay (2013) and Johnthan Banks (2013).
· It's the first time in modern NFL Draft history (since 1970) that MSU produced multiple defensive selections through the first three rounds in back-to-back years.
· A total of 187 Bulldogs have now been chosen in the NFL Draft all-time.
