Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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2016 RECRUITING ISSUE JONATHAN JONES LINEBACKER 6-0 • 200 OAK RIDGE H.S. OCOEE, FLA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ –– 19 66 ✪ ✪ ✪ –– 16 96 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 220 18 30 ✪ ✪ ✪ –– 17 52 MEASURABLES • Posted an 85.41 Nike Football Rating (a test of overall athletic availability) at The Opening. Ran a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash and had a 35.5-inch verti- cal jump. STATISTICS • Totaled 115 tackles, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, five passes broken up and a blocked field goal as a junior for an Oak Ridge squad that won a district title. HONORS • Second-team Associated Press Class 8A (Florida's highest classification) all-state selection. Was a sec- ond-team Class 7A all-state pick as a junior. • Ranked by The Orlando Sentinel as the No. 3 talent in Central Florida and the No. 37 overall prospect in the state. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Totaled four tackles and a sack for the U.S. Un- der-19 National Team in the International Bowl against Canada in January. Was named captain of the defense. • Named Linebacker MVP of the Rivals Speed & Skill Challenge in Orlando, Fla., on March 7, 2015. • Picked by 247Sports as a top performer at the Orlando Nike Opening Regional on March 1, 2015. RECRUITMENT • Prior to his senior season, named a top five of Notre Dame, Michigan, Duke, Stanford and Central Florida. • Took official visits to Notre Dame (Sept. 26, 2015), Syracuse (Nov. 14), Michigan (Dec. 11) and Central Florida (Jan. 15, 2016). • Was primarily recruited by Florida native Autry Denson, but also had contact with linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Mike Elston. NOTABLE • Born Nov. 18, 1998. • Didn't start playing organized football until his eighth-grade year. • Was coached by former Notre Dame running back Clint Johnson (1990-93) at Oak Ridge. • Involved in the Orlando Junior Achievement pro- gram at Oak Ridge, which fosters work-readiness, en- trepreneurship and financial literacy skills for students. • Plans to enroll in the Mendoza College of Business. 2016 PROJECTION • Will need a year to develop and the Irish have the necessary depth at inside linebacker to give him that redshirt year. THEY SAID IT • Head coach Brian Kelly: "Physically maybe his lack of height scared some people away, but he has just great instincts as a linebacker, great leadership quality, physically strong, fit, athletic, and has a great awareness in the pass game, as well. "For us, he just looked like the consummate line- backer — he had all that innate ability and football recognition that you don't have to teach." • BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "Jones is an explosive short-area athlete that drives through ball carriers at the point of contact, allowing him to play with power beyond what his size should allow. He has excellent slot-to-slot speed and quickness. He stays light on his feet and can instantly accelerate to the ball carrier. "He is highly instinctive and reads blocks well, sniffs out screens and uses his speed and quickness to beat blockers to the football. His quickness and instincts make him a highly effective pass defender. He reads routes well and gets excellent jumps on the ball."