Alabama’s 5-foot-10, 200-pound cornerback and kick returner Cyrus Jones performed pretty well at his workouts in front of NFL scouts, but you’ll constantly hear, leading up to the draft, that he doesn’t possess the ideal size and length to be a productive NFL corner.

Projected as an early- to mid-round selection, Jones possesses the confidence and toughness to mix it up within the one-on-one combat zone of the secondary, and the intelligence and personality that makes him well-liked inside the locker room. It’s an ideal combination.

He played sparingly on offense as a true freshman with the Crimson Tide, but shined on special teams during the 2012 national championship season. He switched from receiver to cornerback as a sophomore and had 25 tackles, seven passes defended and two interceptions in 2013.

Jones, despite a torn labrum in his hip that hampered him throughout the 2014 season, started all 14 games and was a second-team All-SEC pick as a junior with three interceptions, 13 pass deflections and 46 tackles.

This past season, he again started every game, returned an NCAA-leading 42 punts and finished with 37 tackles, nine passes defended and two interceptions. Four of those punt returns were taken back for touchdowns: a 57-yarder against Michigan State, a 69-yard score at Mississippi State and 43- and 72-yard returns against Charleston Southern.

He was easily among the country’s best punt returners and corners, anchoring a secondary that ranked eighth nationally and that was second in the SEC in pass efficiency defense.

Against Michigan State in the Playoff Semifinal Cotton Bowl game, Jones was named the Crimson Tide’s Defensive Most Valuable Player. He also returned five punts for 80 yards in the 38-0 victory, including the aforementioned 57-yard TD. With the Spartans driving toward the end zone at the end of the first half, his goal-line interception snuffed out a scoring opportunity that could have changed the complexion of the game.

Against Clemson in the National Championship game, he made five tackles and broke up a pass in the Crimson Tide’s exciting 45-40 win over the Tigers, securing the program’s 16th national title.

But despite his highlight tapes, he continues to be doubted because of his supposed lack of size. You’ll have to excuse him for not dwelling on the doubters.

“[I’ve] always had a ‘me against the world’ mentality. That will never change,” Jones recently posted on Twitter.

Part of that mentality comes from his upbringing in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.

“I come from a place where a lot of kids don’t make it because they don’t have the right people around them,” Jones said. “They don’t have the right guidance.”

His parents made sure that would not be the case with him, and that he would take advantage of the opportunities that many before him had wasted.

He relishes the opportunity to prove himself on the biggest stage, as he once had to do as a true freshman with Alabama. And he enjoys taking on the challenge of playing one of the game’s most difficult positions.

“Being a D-back, especially a corner, is the second-hardest position on the field, other than playing quarterback,” Jones said. “There’s a lot of pressure, but once I catch the ball, it’s showtime after that.”

He can’t wait to prove the naysayers wrong on football’s biggest stage, while continuing to bring his mixture of showtime and toughness to whatever team takes a gamble on him.

He has a Heisman Trophy and near-unbelievable stats. Of course Derrick Henry is among Alabama’s top NFL prospects. (Amelia B. Barton/UA Athletics)

Jarran Reed has established himself as an expert run-stuffer. (Amelia B. Barton/UA Athletics)

Center Ryan Kelly anchored Alabama’s fearsome 2015 offensive line. (Amelia B. Barton/UA Athletics)

Many experts believe A’Shawn Robinson will make an immediate impact for whatever team manages to draft him. (Robert Sutton/UA Athletics)

SEC Defensive Player of the Year Reggie Ragland missed only three tackles in the whole season. (Robert Sutton/UA Athletics)

Here are the top 5 NFL prospects from Alabama’s national championship squad:

1. A’Shawn Robinson, defensive tackle – Robinson was a force from the minute he walked on campus, leading the Crimson Tide in sacks, with 5.5, as a true freshman. His versatility is what makes NFL general managers salivate, as he’s shown an ability to impact the game from the interior and on the perimeter. He doesn’t move people upon contact; he dislodges them. Many experts feel that he becomes an immediate impact player for whatever team is lucky enough to select him. Alabama’s overall defense this year was historically great. Robinson was a big reason why.
2. Reggie Ragland, inside linebacker – Ragland missed only three tackles this year, which speaks to his level of dominance and consistency. He led the Crimson Tide defense with 97 tackles en route to being named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He surprised many by returning to school for his senior season and was thought to be a certified first rounder had he chosen to leave early for the NFL last year. How good was he? Good enough to be considered among the best linebackers, along with the likes of Cornelius Bennett and the late Derrick Thomas, to ever suit up in Tuscaloosa. His ability to stuff the run and be an effective pass rusher separates him from others at his position.
3. Ryan Kelly, center – Kelly is considered by many scouts to be among the best interior line prospects in the 2016 draft class. If you’re trying to figure out how Derrick Henry gained so many yards this year, look no further than the 6-foot-4, 311-pound guy wearing Number 70 for the Crimson Tide. Not only is he an effective blocker in both the running game and in pass protection, but he seems to enjoy the physicality of the scrum. The Alabama offensive line was a joy to behold for fans of smash-mouth football this year, and Kelly was the muscle and brains behind the entire operation.
4. Jarran Reed, defensive tackle – Excellent defensive linemen excel in disrupting a well-choreographed offense’s best intentions. And that’s exactly what Reed does. He has the leverage and body to eat up blockers, creating gaps for his teammates to plug, and he possesses the strength and speed to often win at the point of attack. Amazingly, he did not miss a tackle that he should have made, nor did any ball carrier break free of his massive hands once Reed got ahold of one, all year. As a run stuffer, you won’t find many prospects who are better.
5. Derrick Henry, running back – No ball carrier in America has accomplished more than Henry over the past few years. He was a man among boys coming out of high school, where he rushed for 4,261 yards as a senior. Yes, that was not a typo; take a second to look at that number again. As an Alabama freshman, he averaged 10 yards per carry. Yes, that was not a typo; take a second to look at that number again. This year, he led the nation with 2,219 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns. Anyone who watched his marvelous 213-yard, three-touchdown performance against LSU this year will never forget it. Huge for a running back in today’s NFL at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, he’s a cornerback’s nightmare in the open field. And for a runner with his size, his speed can be very deceptive and surprising. Not only does he break tackles due to his incredible strength, but his subtle footwork and slick change-of-direction skills in small spaces are phenomenal.

Alejandro Danois is a senior writer and editor with The Shadow League. The former senior editor of Bounce Magazine, he is also a freelance sports and entertainment writer whose work has been published by The New York Times, Sporting News, Baltimore Sun, The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, SLAMonline and Ebony Magazine, among many others.