Head coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame football are set to host the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday night, a game that the Fighting Irish need a big showing in following their opening season loss to the Miami Hurricanes in week one. This is a game that could have massive playoff implications down the road when the final field is set. There are also some natural storylines between the two programs, including Mike Elko returning to South Bend for the first time since 2017, and the Aggies trying to avenge their loss to the Irish from last season.

Not only is this going to be a big game this weekend for Notre Dame, but it is also going to be a massive recruiting weekend as well. Having a top-25 team from the SEC coming to South Bend is a natural draw for a lot of top recruits, and the list of them making the trip is substantial. That includes 2027 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas wide receiver Julius Jones Jr. and an early top target for the Irish, and a legacy that will make many people feel pretty old.

Steve Wiltfong, the vice president of recruiting for Rivals, was the first to report the visit from Jones. In an interview with the talented pass catchers, Jones had a lot of great things to say about the Irish ahead of the visit. They have put themselves in a strong spot early on.

“ND has been on the checklist from before I even put on pads and a helmet,” Jones told Wiltfong. “Getting the offer really is a great felling. From watching my father’s highlights, to now having a chance to go create my own in the gold helmet is surreal!”

A Must Get Recruit

Jones is already considered to be a tremendous recruit according to the 247Sports composite ranking. He currently sits as the No. 65 overall player, No. 13 wide receiver, and the No. 6 player in the state of Florida for the 2027 recruiting class. We are talking about a potentially elite player when all is said and done from a hotbed of talent, and a legacy player nonetheless.

Despite just beginning his junior year of high school, Jones has demanded the attention of some prominent programs. Some of his top offers so far include the Fighting Irish, LSU, 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 young age. In 13 games as a sophomore, Jones hauled in 51 receptions for 750 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged an impressive 14.7 yards per catch despite playing against some great competition.

In three games so far this season, Jones has managed to haul in 11 receptions for 167 yards and four touchdowns. The 5-10, 170-pound pass catcher leads the team in each category thus far.

Jones’ father of the same name played at Notre Dame from 1999-2003. He finished his career with 3,018 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns. Jones was then selected in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, and proceeded to play seven seasons in the NFL.