Brenen Thompson was the talk of the 2026 NFL Combine after his blazing fast 40-yard dash. The speedy Mississippi State alum posted the best time of the year, running the 40 in 4.26 seconds, the third best time by a wide receiver at the Combine since 2003.
With his speed, few college defenders were much of a match. He could simply run right by corners to get open downfield, even in the SEC where there's no lack of talent in defensive backfields. It's no surprise he posted a Mississippi State-record 1054 receiving yards in 2025 and was one of the best deep-threats in college football.
While at the Combine, Thompson was asked which cornerbacks challenged him the most, and his answer is one that should please Bulldog fans.
Brenen Thompson says Mississippi State's Kelley Jones was the most challenging corner faced in college
In an interview with ESPN reporter Turron Davenport, Brenen Thomspon said that his former Mississippi State teammate Kelley Jones was the cornerback he faced that proved to be the biggest challenge.
Mississippi St WR Brenen Thompson ran track in high school and his freshman yr in college. He uses his speed to threaten CBs by selling the go route before snapping back on curls and comebacks. Thompson also played baseball (centerfield) which helped his ability to track the ball pic.twitter.com/NDVxB1JKfM
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) February 27, 2026
"I like Kelley Jones from Mississippi State. I think he's gonna be a dude next year. We battled every day in practice, so I think he's gonna be a dude to watch for next year for sure."Brenen Thompson
It may be easy to think Thompson is simply hyping up his college teammate, but there's good reason to believe it's legitimate. Kelley Jones was truly one of the SEC's best at corner last season. He was tied for the SEC lead with 13 total passes defended and led the country in snaps per reception allowed according to PFF. Opposing offenses would frequently choose to not even try throwing his way.
At 6-4, Jones has a massive frame for a cornerback, and he's said to have legitimate 4.4 speed. That may not be as fast as Thompson, but it's still quite fast. And when combined with his length, you can bet he was able to win his fair share of battles while matched up with the wideout.
Knowing how good Brenen Thompson was, it's high praise for him to say Kelley Jones was his biggest challenger. Mississippi State had a standout player at the 2026 Combine in Thompson. They seem likely to have a standout at the 2027 Combine in Jones.