Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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2016 RECRUITING ISSUE JAMIR JONES LINEBACKER 6-3 • 220 AQUINAS INSTITUTE ROCHESTER, N.Y. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — 43 2 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 100 11 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 85 4 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 48 3 MEASURABLES • At the New York Nike Opening last April 26, Jones was clocked at 5.01 in the 40-yard dash and 4.66 in the 20-yard shuttle. • Measured with a 29.3-inch vertical jump. STATISTICS • As a senior, Jones recorded 98 tackles, 6.5 sacks and an interception. At tight end, he grabbed 43 passes for 822 yards (19.1 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns. Aquinas Institute finished 13-0, won the New York Class AA state championship and was listed as the No. 14 team in the country in the final USA Today national rankings. • During his junior year, he took over at quarterback in the second game when the starter was injured. The team finished 7-2 while he completed 34 of 82 passes for 715 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions. Before moving exclusively to of- fense, he had 17 total stops and six tackles for loss. HONORS • Named first-team all-state at linebacker by the New York State Sportswriters Association after his senior year. • Was a second-team pick on the USA Today All- USA New York team. • As a junior, was named NYSSA all-state as an "athlete" while playing mostly quarterback. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Played defense on the East team that won 28-13 in the Semper Fidelis Bowl Jan. 3 in Carson, Calif. In the third quarter, he intercepted a pass by Baylor quarterback recruit Zach Smith. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on June 23, 2015, while working out for the Fighting Irish staff. • Notre Dame was his sole official visit (Dec. 11, 2015). He had taken unofficial visits during the spring to Pitt and Penn State. • Primarily recruited by linebackers coach Mike Elston, with defensive coordinator Brian Van- Gorder also involved. NOTABLE • Born June 14, 1998. • His older brother Jarron is a fifth-year senior starting nose guard for the Fighting Irish. Two other older brothers, Jonathan and Matthew, played at Division II Gannon University in Erie, Pa. • Starts for the Aquinas Institute varsity basketball team. 2016 PROJECTION • Expected to receive his first audition at the Sam linebacker spot, but is likely to redshirt. THEY SAID IT • Head coach Brian Kelly: "Jamir excels at mul- tiple sports and will play linebacker for us. He comes from a winning program and I am con- fident Jamir will be successful both on and off the field." • Linebackers coach Mike Elston: "We weren't sure what he could do based on film. We asked him to come to camp. … Within the first 15 min- utes we knew he could play outside linebacker, because he has athleticism, we knew he could be a Mike linebacker because he's big and physical and an intelligent football player, and also could be a Will because it mirrors the Sam. "When he put his hand on the ground, he had third-down pass rush ability."