Malachi Jones Bio
Malachi Jones, born 23 September 2003 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, is a Sierra Leonean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club New York City FC. Standing 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) tall and wearing jersey number 88, he was drafted eighth overall in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft after a standout college career at Lipscomb University. Jones is recognized for his speed, finishing ability, and composure in front of goal, traits that helped him earn early minutes at one of the league’s most ambitious clubs. Off the pitch, he resides in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, and is engaged to volleyball standout Delaney Smith.
Early Life and Background
Malachi Jones was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on 23 September 2003. In 2013, at the age of ten, he moved to the United States from Sierra Leone along with his seven siblings after they were all adopted by an American family from Thompson’s Station, Tennessee. The transition from West Africa to the American South set the foundation for his life in sports, and he quickly immersed himself in the local youth soccer scene. He joined Nashville United Soccer Academy, where he developed the technical base and athletic profile that would later define his career.
Jones attended Grace Christian Academy in Tennessee, where he became one of the most decorated high school players in the state. He led the Lions to a Division I State Title in 2019, a Division II State Runner-Up finish in 2021, and a Division II State Title in 2022. A four-time First Team All-State selection, he was named the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year in June 2022, capping a prep career that drew attention from college programs across the country.
Path to Professional Soccer
In November 2021, Jones committed to attend Lipscomb University, where he would play for the men’s soccer team beginning in the fall of 2022. He made his collegiate debut on 25 August 2022 against the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons and scored his first collegiate goal on 10 September 2022 in a victory over the Jacksonville Dolphins. His breakout moment came on 4 October 2022, when he scored a brace in a 3–1 victory over the Mercer Bears, earning ASUN and TSWA Player of the Week honors. By the end of his freshman year, he had been named to the ASUN All-Freshman Team, the All-ASUN Conference First Team, and the College Soccer News Third Team All-Freshman squad.
Ahead of his sophomore season in 2023, Jones was named to the ASUN All-Preseason Team and opened the year with a brace against the Florida Atlantic Owls. In early September 2023, he was named the ASUN Player of the Week and earned a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer National Team of the Week. He finished the year on the All-ASUN First Team and the All-Region First Team, leading the entire ASUN Conference in assists. After his sophomore season, Jones chose to leave Lipscomb and turn professional.
Malachi Jones Career
Early Career (2023)
Before entering the MLS ranks, Jones spent the summer of 2023 playing for Tennessee SC in USL League Two. The stint gave him a first taste of senior-level competition and allowed him to refine his game against experienced professionals. It also served as a final showcase heading into the 2024 MLS SuperDraft.
New York City FC Era (2024–Present)
Jones was selected in the first round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft by New York City FC, going eighth overall. In January 2024, he signed a two-year contract with the club, with club options for 2026 and 2027, signaling a long-term commitment from the front office. He broke into the first team quickly, making 14 appearances in the season’s first 20 games, including four starts, often chosen over players signed for substantial transfer fees. On 11 May 2024, he scored his first Major League Soccer goal in a 3–2 victory over Toronto FC, finishing his debut MLS season with one goal and three assists.
His promising debut was interrupted on 28 June 2024, when Jones broke his right tibia and fibula in a collision with Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. Both players suffered similar breaks in the high-speed challenge. On 1 July 2024, New York City FC announced that Jones had undergone surgery to repair both breaks. On 18 March 2025, the club confirmed he had undergone additional surgery on his right tibia as part of his recovery process. As of early September 2025, Jones was still working his way back to match fitness and had not made another first-team appearance.
Notable Events and Milestones
Beyond his senior debut, Jones earned conference recognition at every level of his development, including ASUN All-Freshman Team, All-ASUN First Team, and All-Region First Team honors. He was also named the 2022 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year and led the ASUN Conference in assists during the 2023 season, underscoring his ability to create as well as finish.
Malachi Jones Career Wins
Malachi Jones’ early professional résumé is anchored by his MLS SuperDraft selection and a debut Major League Soccer goal against Toronto FC on 11 May 2024. While he has yet to accumulate a deep trophy cabinet at the senior level, his collegiate awards and conference recognition reflect a forward who consistently finds the back of the net.
Collegiate Highlights
At Lipscomb University, Jones scored a brace against the Mercer Bears in October 2022 and another brace against the Florida Atlantic Owls to open the 2023 season. He led the ASUN Conference in assists in 2023, a rare feat for a forward, and was named the ASUN Player of the Week in early September of that year. These performances established him as one of the top young attackers in the conference before he turned professional.
Other Performances
During his high school career at Grace Christian Academy, Jones led the Lions to a Division I State Title in 2019 and a Division II State Title in 2022, with a Division II State Runner-Up finish in 2021. His summer with Tennessee SC in USL League Two in 2023 provided his first taste of senior-level competition north of the college game.
Malachi Jones Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Malachi Jones was raised alongside seven siblings in Freetown, Sierra Leone, before being adopted by an American family from Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, in 2013. His older brother, Isaiah Jones, born in 2006, is also a professional footballer, currently playing for Chattanooga FC, making the Jones brothers a notable pair of Sierra Leonean-born talents developing in the American soccer system.
Personal Life
Jones got engaged in June 2024 to his long-time girlfriend, Delaney Smith, whom he met at Lipscomb University, where she played libero for the Bison’s volleyball team. Smith is the Atlantic Sun Conference’s all-time record holder for career aces and finished her collegiate career with more than 1,000 digs. She was named the 2023 ASUN Academic Volleyball Player of the Year and later earned a graduate degree from Vanderbilt University. The couple married on 25 May 2025.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been defined for Malachi Jones by recovery rather than match minutes. After breaking his right tibia and fibula in a collision with Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar on 28 June 2024, he underwent surgery on 1 July 2024 to repair both breaks, and a follow-up procedure was performed on his right tibia on 18 March 2025. New York City FC have continued to list him within their senior squad while he rehabs, and the club has publicly expressed confidence in his long-term outlook.
As of early September 2025, Jones was still working his way back to full fitness and had not yet returned to the matchday roster. His recovery timeline has been closely monitored by fans and analysts, given his promising debut that produced one goal and three assists across 14 appearances in the first half of 2024. The forward’s pace and direct running remain central to how New York City FC plan to deploy him once he is cleared.
Looking ahead, the 2025 MLS season presents an opportunity for Jones to re-establish himself in the first team and build on the momentum of his debut campaign. With his contract running through 2025 and club options for 2026 and 2027 already in place, both player and club have a clear runway to write the next chapter of his Major League Soccer story.