STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Lined up across from each other, Cyrus Jones versus De'Runnya Wilson looks like a miss match.

Alabama's 5-foot-10 cornerback is a touch smaller than Mississippi State's 6-5 receiver. They faced off a year ago in Bryant-Denny Stadium as Wilson caught eight passes for 91 yards. Jones, though, won the 25-20 game over then-No. 1 Mississippi State.

Wilson left with a certain respect for the smaller corner.

"I thought he was the best corner I ever played against in the SEC, like (Kenya Dennis) for Missouri," Wilson said Tuesday. "Cyrus Jones is a little corner but he's strong, fast, quick. I mean, I give credit to him because I had to work even harder preparing to go against him. It's going to be a great match."

Wilson enters the 2:30 p.m. Saturday rematch in Starkville as the No. 4 receiver in the SEC. The Birmingham product gets 69.6 yards a game. Jones was named All-SEC first team before the season and regularly faces the best receiver on the other side.

Alabama defensive back Cyrus Jones (5) lines up on Mississippi State wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson (1) during the first quarter of the Alabama vs. Mississippi State football game, Saturday, November 15, 2014, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

So it'll be Jones vs. Wilson again. The receiver didn't necessarily realize Jones was as physical before last year's game.

"It surprised me a little," he said. "I played against him my freshman year too. You just have to play big and fast. That's my advantage over a lot of cornerbacks in the SEC."

So how do you take advantage?

"Running a slant route," Wilson said. "I don't think I need that much separation outside of my route from him, but a little separation will help catching the ball. Coach always tells me to extend my hands but sometimes coming off my break, the ball will be on me so fast, I'm tall and have long arms, I can't extend. So boxing them out can help. Playing fast and just being a threat out there on the field for the offense."