'Who wore it best' at Michigan State: No. 53

Ever see a number on a Michigan State football jersey and think of all the great players to wear it? Me, too. In this daily series, I’ll give you my take on which Spartan football player was the best ever to wear each number. The criteria are simple: How did he perform at MSU? And what kind of impact did he have on the program?

No. 53 – Greg Jones

Linebacker, 2007-10, Cincinnati

Résumé

2007: 40 solo tackles, 38 assisted, 78 total tackles, 8.5 tackle for loss, 4.5 sacks

2008: 80 solo tackles, 47 assisted, 127 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 2 sacks

2009: 67 solo tackles, 87 assisted, 154 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 9 sacks

2010: 49 solo tackles, 57 assisted, 106 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, sack, 2 interceptions

Total: 236 solo tackles, 229 assisted, 465 total tackles, 46.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, 2 interceptions

Why Jones?

There’s George Webster and Bubba Smith.

Then, there’s Greg Jones. Not bad company to be in.

Jones was a consensus All-American selection in back-to-back seasons, joining only those two other Michigan State greats to earn that honor in program history.

Jones’ name is also up there with another one of the greatest Spartan linebackers to do it -- Percy Snow. Aside from Snow, Jones is the only other player to record 100 tackles in three straight seasons. Need another comparison? Jones was the Spartans’ leading tackler all four years on campus. Only all-time leading tackler, Dan Bass, accomplished that feat.

Jones is third on the all-time tackles list with 465 behind only Snow and Bass. His 46.5 tackles for loss is good enough for second. Only Julian Peterson topped that mark.

Jones, a 6-foot-1, 240-pound standout from Cincinnati, started 40 straight games at MSU. His 2009 campaign was his best, leading the Big Ten with 154 tackles. He was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Jones bypassed a chance to enter the NFL draft after his junior season, instead leading the Spartans to Mark Dantonio’s first Big Ten title in 2010. A quarterback on defense, the captain aided in the first of four 11-plus-win seasons in East Lansing. Jones helped lift MSU back into the national spotlight.

Jones was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft. He played in only 22 career games, six of which came with the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, Jones did win a Super Bowl during his rookie campaign with the Giants. He started five games and recorded 31 tackles during his lone season in the Big Apple. He has played in the Canadian Football League since 2014.

Who else wore No. 53?

Howard Beyer (C, 1942), Marshall Campbell (LB, 2003-04), Charles Carey (HB, 1940), Angelo Fields (OT/DT, 1976-79), Dale Foltz (C, 1954), Ted Guthard (C, 1962), Mark Hill (OG, 1986-87), Derrick Johnson (LB, 2006), Dan Kulikowski (LB, 1970-71), Courtney Ledyard (LB, 1995-98), Kyle Lints (C, 2013), Patrick McClowry (LB, 1973-74), Steve Moore (SN, 2011), Alton Owens (C/DT, 1963-65), Roy Parrott (C, 1961), Dale Person (DL, 1992-94), Andrew Petterson (SN, 2002-03), Keith Redd (C, 1966), Mark Shapiro (C, 1989), Edward Sobczak (End, 1946-48), Kenneth Stockwell (C, 1981-83), John Wilks (C, 1957-59)

Contact Cody Tucker at (517) 377-1070 or cjtucker@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @CodyTucker_LSJ.

MORE ON GREG JONES:
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* MSU's top 50 football players: No. 45 Greg Jones