Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM PRESEASON 2026 61 BY MIKE SINGER After Julius Jones Jr. announced his commitment to Notre Dame on ESPN June 22, show host Pat McAfee indi- cated that the new Irish pledge might get a surprise before asking whether Ju- lius' younger brother, Andre, had any- thing to share himself. Moments later, Andre — a class of 2028 defensive back recruit from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas — announced his commitment to the Fighting Irish as well. The commitment was not a surprise — they discussed the possibility of committing together for weeks, accord- ing to Andre. Nonetheless, it was a spe- cial moment for the entire Jones family. "Probably sometime in May, and I told him and my parents that Notre Dame was where I wanted to be," Jones told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "What's a better time to do it than with him?" Notre Dame offered the younger Jones, the No. 24 safety and No. 269 overall player nationally in the junior class per Rivals, in April during his second cam- pus visit. He also visited last fall for the Texas A&M game. Jones committed to the Fighting Irish over Florida State, Georgia Tech, Penn State, Texas A&M and others. "It starts with the coaches," Jones said about committing to Notre Dame. "Every coach in the program really cares about their players and wants to win big games for Notre Dame. "Coach [Aaron] Henry and Coach J- Cod [Jevaughn Codlin] are two great coaches. Coach Henry has developed a lot of great players, and Coach [Marcus] Freeman is an amazing leader. It's where I want to be." After the Irish offered Jones in the spring, it was just a matter of time be- fore he committed. "The visit had a big impact on me," Jones explained. "I loved the connection I felt with the team and the entire staff." He picked Notre Dame because of his interest in the school and how the staff recruited him. However, his brother trending toward the Irish for several months and their father, Julius Jones Sr., being a former Irish star run- ning back certainly helped. "I've been recruited by some very good programs, and it's been clear to me, too," Jones said. "If Notre Dame wasn't for me, I wouldn't have committed. It's not like it was my only offer. But they showed me that they wanted me, and the proof is in the pudding with what they produce with defensive backs." Jones gave the Notre Dame staff his private commitment during the first day of his brother's official visit on June 19. They had a meeting with Freeman, and at the end of it, Andre gave the Fighting Irish head coach the news. "He was really happy," Jones recalled. "I let Coach Henry and Coach J-Cod know also, and they were all fired up. I think they expected me to commit, but not that early. Everyone was excited for me." As a sophomore in 2025, Jones played in 13 contests, recording 37 tackles, 1 interception and 4 passes broken up in a loaded St. Thomas Aquinas second- ary. He's been on the Raiders' last two 5A Florida state championship teams. Jones feels comfortable with how he'll be utilized in Notre Dame's defensive scheme. "They'll use me at nickel and safety, which is the same way I'm used at St. Thomas," he said. "I'm versatile and can work anywhere to get on the field as fast as I can." Notre Dame hasn't signed a football player from St. Thomas Aquinas since the 2017 class when linebacker Drew White picked the Irish. That streak will end in the 2027 cycle with Jones and safety Zayden Gamble, who is also pledged to the Irish. Jones will sign with the Irish in the 2028 class, and Notre Dame hopes to keep the pipeline open. "I'm surprised that it's been so long," he said. "We'll definitely have more people coming from St. Thomas." ✦ COMMITMENT PROFILE ANDRE JONES FILM ANALYSIS "Andre Jones is a dependable defensive back with extended experience at a young age. He sorts out what he's seeing quickly and arrives at the ball with urgency. He can cover up mistakes by his fellow defenders. Jones possesses versatility as a safety prospect. He can play in the box, line up in the slot or stand guard on the back end. He's able to do so because his athleticism and physicality allow him to match up with players of different sizes and speeds. "Jones shrinks the ground between him and the ball in a hurry. When he's diagnosed the play, he doesn't hesitate in breaking on an intended receiver or a ball carrier. That allows him to break up passes with his hands or with a big hit." — Blue & Gold Illustrated staff writer Tyler James Legacy Recruit Surprises Irish Nation With Early Pledge Jones, the son of former Irish running back Julius Jones Sr., committed to Notre Dame June 22, moments after his older brother Julius Jones Jr. did so live on ESPN. PHOTO BY KYLE KELLY