Trainer | 2024 Notre Dame LB Target Kris Jones Is "Special"

Kevin Johnson doesn’t claim to know everything, but when it comes to Kris Jones, the owner of Team Ascension Training is confident in what he sees.

“I know talent when I see it,” Johnson says of Jones, an elite 2024 linebacker from Virginia.

“And this kid…I'm just saying, man, I'm looking at contacting tailors for the Class of 2028. If everything goes the way it's supposed to, I see this kid being in the NFL Draft.”

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Jones already has offers from schools like Notre Dame, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Oklahoma and Tennessee among others.

After a trip to South Bend over the summer, Jones will be back at Notre Dame this weekend for the Irish’s primetime matchup against Clemson on Saturday night.

“The kid is special, man,” Johnson continues. “Despite the obvious; rangy, long, length, sideline-to-sideline type guy, he's just the kind of guy that drives on tackles and literally comes downhill and strikes. I think he's violent at the point of attack. He's a very, very heady football player.

“On top of all that, he absolutely loves the game of football. And he comes from a family where I would say character, hard work and commitment is instilled daily.”

Johnson grew up around the same time and area as Jones’ father, who is a pastor.

“I would like to believe it derives from that,” Johnson explains. “We come from an area where nobody was born with a silver spoon in your mouth. You've got to work for every single thing you get. A lot of us are people who probably weren't even expected to make it where we are.

“We instill, 'Hey, listen, you don't have the luxury of being lax in your approach to your goals. You have a vision, you've got to put a plan in place and you've got to execute it.'”

Players who Johnson has trained in the past include Da’Shawn Hand, Tim Settle, Ahmad Brooks, who are currently in the NFL, as well as multiple current college stars who could be next, including Michigan running back Blake Corum.

“Kris is that kind of kid,” says Johnson. “He's a top-notch kid.

“I've been around this thing. I'm not trying to say I know it all, but I know a thing or two about the thing or two.”

Jones credits Johnson with helping him become that player.

“He's done a lot,” Jones says of his trainer. “I started with him in seventh grade. He's just helped develop me as a player physically and mentally. He's most definitely helped a lot.”

Johnson is quick to point out the DMV region has All-Americans “on every street corner.”

“It's not the talent, it's the other intangibles that separate guys like Kris,” he says. “Our mantra is mentally, physically and spiritually building champions. I always tell them, 'Every man has a trifold nature. If you think you're going to make it by being just a physical superior person, when you get to the next level, you're going to see everybody's physically superior.’

“‘What's going to separate you is two things; your commitment to who it is you say you are and your work ethic.’”

Johnson lets each of his athletes know the two most important days of their lives are the day they were born and the day they realize why.

“You tell me why you think you were created and then you're going to move with purpose,” he says. “There's nothing more dangerous than a man who’s got purpose, who’s already committed, already focused at a young age like him.

“Kris believes he was born to play football.”

Football is toward the very top of Jones’ priority list and way above many things that may distract his peers. Jones says he tries to keep his “goals straight” and focuses on “one thing, just always wanting to get better.”

“All he cares about is production,” says Johnson.

“When he goes into a locker room, if the culture needs to be changed, he's going to be one of the guys to be a part of changing the culture. If the culture already has high expectations and great character, he's going to be a guy who is going to seamlessly fit in with that type of situation.”

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