Chris Jones helped Byram (Miss.) Hartfield Academy to an undefeated season in 2023 and a state championship in his senior season. He racked up 112 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, give sacks and four interceptions.
Coaching staffs at Power 4 schools weren’t impressed. While Jones made an unofficial visit to FSU in March 2023, his best offers were from Memphis and Southern Miss. Jones went to Southern Miss with a massive chip on the shoulders of the 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker.
“I've always had a knack for the ball, trying to get to the ball,” Jones said. “I tried to play running back growing up, but I just feel like with my style of play, I want to get to that ball and make a play.”
That’s exactly what Jones did at Southern Miss, playing as a reserve in his freshman season before racking up 134 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2025. Jones had an impressive 51 solo tackles, led the Sun Belt with 84 solo tackles and was a first-team all-conference selection.
Jones opted to jump in the transfer portal as a 19-year-old (his birthday is in July) with two years of college experience. And he was in demand, first committing to Ole Miss before picking FSU.
“It most definitely was different because coming out of high school a lot of schools wanted me to prove myself,” Jones said. “So I did go to a Group of 5 school. You work for something so long and then you finally get there. Talking to a bunch of coaches every day, every minute a new phone call was coming in.”
Phone calls from FSU’s staff made an impression. FSU has landed some proven transfer linebackers through the years, notably Tatum Bethune, who had a 108-tackle season at UCF in 2021. Jones is as productive and has the potential to be a multi-year impact transfer, too.
The addition of Jones strengthens a room in transition, one where just Blake Nichelson and Omar Graham Jr. return with experience at FSU. Mikai Gbayor (Nebraska, UNC) and Caleb LaVallee (at UNC in 2024) complement a room that will also feature talented freshmen.
Jones said he selected FSU in large part because of the conversations he had with new linebackers coach Ernie Sims Jr. and coach Mike Norvell.
“I felt like Florida State was home,” Jones said. “And Coach Ernie Sims, he's a legend here, we built a great relationship. And that's really the main reason I came here, Coach Ernie Sims and coach Norvell, and that relationship we built over the whole recruiting process, and it landed me here at Florida State.”
Sims has been on FSU’s staff the last few years but has been elevated to linebackers coach ahead of the 2026 season. Twenty years ago, Sims wrapped up his FSU career and began an eight-year NFL career — including three straight 100-tackle seasons in Detroit from 2006-08.
Jones wasn’t even alive when Sims was playing at FSU. But Jones is a student of linebacker play, name dropping Patrick Willis, Luke Kuechly and Sims during his interview this week. Sims’ success in college and the NFL made an impression.
“You always want to have a coach that's been there before,” Jones said. “Where he's been is where I'm trying to get to. I'm trying to be a first-round pick. I'm trying to be one of the best linebackers in the country. And he's done all that. He's had over 100 tackles in the league his rookie year. It's just things like that you want to be able to accomplish.”
Jones has embraced Sims’ push in offseason Tour of Duty workouts. And he feels Tony White’s multiple 3-3-5 scheme will allow him to show off his range and physicality.
“I'm a sideline-to-sideline 'backer,” Jones said. “I feel like they're going to put me in positions to make plays in that aspect, and I can do both things. I'm not going to limit myself to just learning one position. Coach White has a great scheme. It allows the linebackers to run to the sideline and make plays. And that's what I do best.”
Jones said he has spent time in the film room and has enjoyed using the virtual reality room in FSU’s new football building. That has helped his learning curve as he looks to make an immediate impact in 2026.
He’s come a long way in just a few years from an under-recruited high school prospect to FSU. Jones said he wants to “create a lot of value for myself” with the Seminoles and feels confident that he will. But he also remembers his roots, and that’s what motivates him.
“It’s some real talent down there in Mississippi,” Jones said. “We don’t get the looks we want coming out of high school. I went to a small private school in Hartfield. … We don’t have that big spotlight on us. It really motivates me every day.”
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