Notre Dame football moves one step closer toward landing an elite playmaker who Fighting Irish fans should be very familiar with 

Notre Dame continues to be the leader for a priority pass catcher with a very familiar last name.

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Notre Dame wide receivers coach Mike Brown at Notre Dame spring football practice Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.

We have seen a huge emphasis from Notre Dame football and head coach Marcus Freeman to prioritize the sons of former NFL players during his tenure.

Recruiting Fighting Irish legacies has also been a point of emphasis, including the likes of Jerome Bettis Jr., Bryce Young (Bryant’s son), and James Flanigan (Jim’s son). The staff has made it a habit of betting on strong DNA and hoping the sons follow in their father’s footsteps.

In the 2027 recruiting class, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas star wide receiver Julius Jones Jr. is another Notre Dame legacy who has become a priority for the program. That’s partly because of his last name, and mostly because Jones is an outstanding football player. His family ties to the program just solidify the push.

Jones’ father, of the same name, played running back at Notre Dame from 1999-2003. The star runner finished his career with 3,018 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns. Jones was selected in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and played for seven seasons in the NFL.

Notre Dame has been in a great spot with the talented wide receiver for some time now. Considered the leader for Jones, the Irish just moved one step closer toward eventually landing the dynamic pass catcher. The Fighting Irish were listed among the top eight schools for Jones, joined by Michigan, Oregon, LSU, Texas, Florida, Florida State, and Miami. Despite that impressive top group, Notre Dame remains in a strong position.

Julius Jones Jr.’s recruiting background

Jones is considered an outstanding recruit by the 247Sports Composite ranking. He sits as the No. 58 overall player, the No. 11 wide receiver, and the No. 7 player in the state of Florida for the 2027 recruiting class. We are talking about a potentially elite player from a hotbed of talent, and a legacy player to make things even better.

Even at a young age, Jones has attracted the attention of some outstanding programs. That has only increased after a stellar junior year. Some of his top offers so far include the Fighting Irish, LSU, Ole Miss, Miami, Florida, Penn State, Texas A&M, Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida State, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Washington, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Colorado, NC State, UCLA, Syracuse, and Purdue, among many others.

On an extremely talented and deep St. Thomas Aquinas team, Jones became the top option at a younger age. In 13 games as a sophomore in 2024, Jones hauled in 51 receptions for 750 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged an impressive 14.7 yards per catch despite playing against some of the best competition in the entire country.

In 14 games this past season, the junior hauled in 58 receptions for 876 yards and 14 touchdowns. The 5-11, 175-pound pass catcher led the team in each category, and by a wide margin. Jones had also increased his yards per catch average to 15.1, showing the ability to create a ton of big plays.

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