Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-10vs Southeast Missouri State | 5 | 3 | 2.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 3 | 2.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#16
Malcolm Jones
Senior linebacker for Iowa State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 219 lb · Camilla, GA · Lee County
CFB Index 54 · #240 of 544 safetiesHigh confidenceTransferred Jacksonville State → Iowa State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
5
tackles · 2026
2.5 TFL
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, 2.5 TFL, vs Southeast Missouri State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Iowa State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Michigan State in 2022.
- Transferred from Jacksonville State to Iowa State in 2026.
Malcolm Jones
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Across five seasons and three programs, four head coaches: Mel Tucker, Rich Rodriguez, Charles Kelly and Jimmy Rogers. One game to point at: 5 tackles, 2.5 TFL against Southeast Missouri State — Week 1, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
2022
- Signed with Michigan State3-star out of Lee County
20246 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022–2025
Iowa State
2026era →
Jimmy Rogers
Iowa State
Coaching transition mid-career: Matt Campbell → Jimmy Rogers. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Iowa State
2025Jacksonville State
2026Iowa State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Michigan State5-7HC: Mel Tucker · Balanced
2023Michigan State4-8HC: Mel Tucker · Balanced
2024Jacksonville State9-5HC: Rich Rodriguez · Run-heavy
2025Jacksonville State9-5HC: Charles Kelly · Run-heavy
2026Iowa State1-1HC: Jimmy Rogers · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceBreakout
Elite: tackles for loss (91st percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 5.0 TKL/g, 2.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jimmy Rogers
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
54 · #240 of 544 safeties
Three-star recruit. Now #240 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Iowa State | 5 | 3 | 2.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Jacksonville State | 51 | 31 | 5.0 | 3.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Jacksonville State | 13 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Michigan State | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Michigan State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 75 | 44 | 7.5 | 3.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 38–10
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jaylen Reed’s 2023 season.
79%match
NFL Rd 6
Matches Jaylen on
Tackle volume
PD rate
TFL rate
Differs from Jaylen on
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jake St. Andre's senior season at Louisiana (2025).
Matches Jake on
Class year
Height
Tackle volume
Differs from Jake on
TFL rate (higher)
Background
Awards & Honors Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (S26) 2025 (at Jacksonville State) Played in 14 games, making nine starts … made 55 tackles, including 5.0 tackles for loss … finished with 3.0 sacks … forced two fumbles and recovered one … had 10 tackles, including one for loss, against Kennesaw...
The linebacker corps · Iowa State
- #16Malcolm Jones51 tackles · 2025
- #7Sullivan Schlimgen49 tackles · 2025
- #10Carson Willich18 tackles · 2025
- #34Beau Goodwin7 tackles · 2025
- #17Connor Welsch3 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Iowa State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology