Mississippi State's Chris Jones declares for NFL draft

One day after Ole Miss saw two of its players declare early for the NFL draft, Mississippi State lost a second of its own players.

Standout defensive tackle Chris Jones announced via his Instagram page on Tuesday he intends to skip his senior season and enter the draft.

"After discussing it with my family, I will forego my senior season at Mississippi State and enter the 2016 NFL Draft. The past three years in Starkville have been unforgettable, and I am proud to be a part of the legacy that we created," he said in the post. "I want to thank my teammates and coaches, especially head coach Dan Mullen and defensive line coach David Turner, for giving me the opportunity to wear the maroon and white. As I pursue a dream of playing in the NFL, I will always be a Bulldog#hailstate"

Jones had a productive career in Starkville, but the defensive tackle did not produce like the elite lineman he was expected to become as a five-star recruit from Houston, Miss.

Still, Jones had a career year in 2015, recording 44 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

During his three years in Starkville, the 6-foot-6, 308-pound lineman racked up 102 total tackles with 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 16 starts.

WalterFootball.com currently has Jones ranked as the 12th defensive tackle in the draft.

The Clarion-Ledger reported Jones has signed with super-agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Jones is the second Bulldog to declare for the 2016 draft, joining receiver De'Runnya Wilson, who entered his name into the draft Friday.

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Mississippi State's Chris Jones declares for NFL draft ."