Jayson Jones, the senior defensive tackle at Auburn, revealed on Monday that he won’t be concluding his time with the team just yet. Contrary to expectations of entering the 2024 NFL Draft after his senior season, Jones, a Calera native, has decided to extend his stay at Auburn for a third season in his home state.
Jones’ decision to return follows a 2023 season where he showcased his skills along the defensive front, primarily as a nose tackle, in all 13 of Auburn’s games. During his junior campaign, he accumulated 20 total tackles, with a notable performance early in the season against Cal on Sept. 9, where he recorded four tackles. Additionally, Jones registered three tackles against New Mexico State on Nov. 18.
Having transferred from Oregon in 2022, Jones had an impactful season with 28 total tackles and a fumble recovery for the Tigers. In the 2023 season, he shared playing time with Justin Rogers, who earned an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl on Dec. 27. Rogers, a transfer from Kentucky, is yet to announce whether he intends to enter the NFL Draft, still having one year of eligibility left.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Rogers, Jones’ return is seen as positive news for Auburn’s defensive front. This comes after the announcement on Dec. 12 that defensive lineman Marcus Harris would be forgoing his final season to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
Looking ahead to 2024, Jones is expected to lead a group of defensive linemen that includes Zykeivous Walker, Kansas transfer Gage Keys, Quientrail Jamison-Travis, Keldric Faulk, four incoming freshmen, a fifth redshirt freshman in DJ Reed, and potentially Justin Rogers.