Mercyhurst LB Payton Jones brings size, lineage, and upside — but still has a tiny college sample
Payton Jones is a 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker for Mercyhurst in the 2026 season, and his profile is more about projection than production right now. In his freshman 2024 season, he appeared in one game and recorded one solo tackle against Buffalo State, so the stat sheet is still pretty quiet; the appeal is his frame, developmental runway, and football bloodlines, with his father Benny Jones having played at Kent State. If you want a young LB with size and room to grow, he’s interesting; if you need an instant impact tackler, the sample size says pump the brakes.
