Top 2028 DE Target Arthur Jones Enjoys First Notre Dame Trip

For Arthur Jones‍, his first trip to Notre Dame delivered exactly what he was hoping to see.

The 2028 New York defensive end made his way to South Bend for the Blue-Gold Game last weekend and came away with a strong impression of both the program and how it operates.

“It was good,” Jones told Irish Sports Daily. “It was fun.”

The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder spent time watching the Irish defense up close, something that immediately stood out.

“I got to see how fast the defense was moving and how they were playing on the field,” he said. “It’s everything you want to see in a football team, just a team working together.”

That on-field product matched what he was hoping to evaluate, especially during his first opportunity to see Notre Dame in person.

The Irish extended an offer to Jones back in February, joining a group that also included Syracuse, Akron and South Alabama at the time and has since swelled to include schools like Boston College, Kentucky, Penn State, Indiana, Purdue, Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss and Georgia Tech. 

The Syracuse, N.Y., native also took in the campus and South Bend, working to process everything during the visit.

“It was wild,” he said. “I was trying to take it all in.”

Jones connected with defensive line coach Charlie Partridge as well, beginning to build what could become an important relationship moving forward.

“My first impression of meeting him was great,” Jones said. “It’s great just being able to start that relationship.”

Partridge’s evaluation of Jones made an impression.

“He said he loved my tape,” Jones said. “After seeing that first play, he just fell in love with it.”

Beyond football, Jones pointed to the overall fit and environment as something that stood out, particularly given his background.

“It left a giant impression on me,” he said. 

With additional visits still being planned, including a potential trip to Texas A&M, the next step for Jones will be building relationships and evaluating his options as he moves through the early stages of his recruitment.

Notre Dame certainly has the Christian Brothers Academy star’s attention. 

“Coming from a Christian high school and going to a Catholic Christian God-based college, it's just powerful.” 

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