An undrafted cornerback who beat stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma the same year he was set to transfer to Vanderbilt, then signed with the Packers in 2026.
Marlon Jones was one of the top cornerbacks in the FCS at Eastern Washington before a cancer diagnosis derailed his move to Vanderbilt. He returned to the field in 2025 in full remission and signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent after going unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Path to the league
Jones played at Eastern Washington from 2019 to 2023, establishing himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the FCS, before transferring to Vanderbilt. The day before he was set to move to Nashville in spring 2024, he was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma, which forced him to miss the 2024 season. He signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent after going unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
In 2023 at Eastern Washington, Jones earned first-team All-Big Sky honors, starting 11 games and recording 35 tackles, an interception return touchdown, and seven passes defended among three interceptions on the year. Across his full college career, he played in 51 games with 30 starts, totaling 168 tackles, nine interceptions, and 23 passes defensed.
2025 season recap
After missing all of 2024 while undergoing cancer treatment, Jones returned to the field for Vanderbilt in 2025 in full remission and medically cleared to play, though his on-field role was limited as he worked his way back into game shape. He signed with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 draft.
Sources
- NBC Sports: Packers sign Marlon Jones, undrafted cornerback who battled cancer in college
- ESPN: Marlon Jones
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Cornerback
- Group
- injuredReserveOrOut
- College
- Vanderbilt
- Hometown
- Tacoma, WA, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- day-to-day
