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(Photo: 247Sports) Playmakers sometimes see something the original picture is missing. Time for a little Bob Ross work. Donovan Jones was playing man. Not blitzing. Nothing at the start of that play suggested he was going to get a sack, force a fumble, then recover said fumble. Or thwart Michigan State's momentum because he saw an opening and trusted what he saw. For a moment, it looked like he might be caught in the wash of Michigan State's max protection. Time to paint "a happy little tree" when the viewer isn't sure the tree belongs there. It did. "Elite traits with a great brain," Matt Rhule said. "He's mature." That lethal combo produced a forced turnover after Michigan State crossed midfield and threatened to cut into Nebraska's 24-13 lead. The Spartans never got the chance. They tried to sneak a receiver across the field off play-action. Andrew Marshall tracked the receiver while Jones added himself to Nebraska's rush. Jones felt the edge open and sprinted toward the quarterback. No blitz. Just reaction, then destruction. He popped the ball out with his left hand as he took down the quarterback, then dove over him to collect the prize. "When you have smart guys like that, you can do a lot of things," Rhule said. "It kind of felt weird because we're not at home, so the crowd's not cheering," Jones said. "I didn't even know if they counted it or not." It counted. So do all the other ways Jones has kept showing up for a Nebraska defense. Every week has come with production. Jones had four tackles and matched his career high with two breakups against Ohio, earning recognition from Pro Football Network as the nation's No. 4 cornerback in Week 1. In Week 2, he had five tackles, one tackle for loss and an interception that set up a 38-yard Nebraska touchdown drive. He followed that with three tackles, his first career sack and another breakup against North Dakota. Then came the strip-sack in East Lansing. His teammates didn't view it as a surprise. "Donnie has been the most consistent guy since I've been here," defensive tackle Jahsear Whittington said. "He always shows up, not just showing up when the ball is there, when a play needs to be made, but shows up every day, every recovery session, every film session, every meeting." That consistency has made it difficult for defensive coordinator Rob Aurich to remove Jones from the field in his valuable nickel position. "Donovan Jones is doing a tremendous job and has grown as much as anyone since I've been here," Aurich said. "It's hard to take him off the field right now." There are the plays on the football. But Aurich also pointed to Jones flying around in run pursuit and affecting plays when Nebraska sends him after the quarterback. "We just get to get him around the football way more than the previous year," Aurich said. "And good defenses get their best players around the football." Jones also gives Nebraska options against offenses using two tight ends. Aurich noted that many NFL defenses now stay in nickel personnel even against those heavier groupings. Keeping an extra defensive back on the field allows a defense to preserve its two-high safety looks and retain more of its coverage and pressure package. Jones' ability to cover, tackle and play the run lets Nebraska do the same. "So it's a chance for him to stay on the field and us to keep our best 11," Aurich said. Jones has easily been one of those best 11 since he was a redshirt freshman. Sometimes through coverage. Sometimes in run support. And sometimes by seeing an opening that wasn't necessarily drawn up for him and sprinting through it. The tree belonged there.